What is the name of the process that produces RNA from a DNA template? What is the name of the process that produces a polypeptide from an RNA template?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the process that involves synthesizing RNA from a DNA template. This process is known as transcription.
2. Understand that during transcription, the enzyme RNA polymerase reads the DNA strand and synthesizes a complementary RNA strand.
3. Next, identify the process that involves synthesizing a polypeptide chain from an RNA template. This process is known as translation.
4. During translation, the ribosome reads the mRNA sequence and, with the help of tRNA, assembles the corresponding amino acids into a polypeptide chain.
5. Both transcription and translation are key steps in the central dogma of molecular biology, which describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.

Key Concepts

Transcription

Transcription is the biological process in which RNA is synthesized from a DNA template. During this process, the enzyme RNA polymerase binds to a specific region of the DNA and unwinds the double helix, allowing the synthesis of a complementary RNA strand. This RNA strand carries the genetic information needed for protein synthesis and is crucial for gene expression.

Translation

Translation is the process by which a polypeptide chain is synthesized from an RNA template, specifically messenger RNA (mRNA). This occurs in the ribosome, where transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain according to the sequence of codons on the mRNA. Translation is essential for converting the genetic code into functional proteins.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology describes the flow of genetic information within a biological system, typically summarized as DNA → RNA → Protein. This framework outlines how genetic information is first transcribed into RNA and then translated into proteins, which perform various functions in the cell. Understanding this concept is fundamental to molecular biology and genetics.