Transcription
general
mRNA is made using DNA as a template(pattern)
sequence of bases
triplets- set of 3 nucleotides in DNA
codon- set of 3 nucleotides in mRNA
anticodon- set of 3 nucleotides in tRNA
steps
1. DNA unwinds
2. DNA unzips
3. RNA polymerase bonds to a promoter region of the DNA
4. new complementary RNA nucleotides are bonded to DNA's exposed bases
5. mRNA nucleotides are bonded together to form a strand
6. mRNA pulls away from DNA
7. mRNA passes through a nuclear pore into the cytoplasm
8. in eukaryotic cells, DNA has non-coding sections called introns and coding sections called exons. the introns must be cut out of DNA
9. mRNA always starts with an initiator codon which is AUG and ends with one of three stop codons: UAA, UA, UGA
Enzymes involved
helicases- unwind and unzip DNA
RNA polymerase
bonds to promoter region
bonds RNA nucleotides to the exposed bases of DNA
ligase- bonds the RNA nucleotides together to form a strand
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