Which process describes the synthesis of an RNA molecule from a DNA template?

• A. Translation
• B. Translocation
• C. Transcription
• D. Replication

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms in the problem. 'Transcription' refers to the process of synthesizing an RNA molecule from a DNA template. 'Translation' is the process of synthesizing proteins from an mRNA template, and 'Replication' is the process of copying DNA to produce identical DNA molecules.
2. Step 2: Recall the central dogma of molecular biology, which describes the flow of genetic information: DNA → RNA → Protein. Transcription is the first step in this process, where DNA is converted into RNA.
3. Step 3: During transcription, the enzyme RNA polymerase binds to the DNA template strand and synthesizes a complementary RNA strand by matching RNA nucleotides to the DNA sequence. For example, adenine (A) in DNA pairs with uracil (U) in RNA, and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G).
4. Step 4: Transcription occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. The RNA molecule produced is called messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries the genetic code from the DNA to the ribosome for protein synthesis.
5. Step 5: Compare the options provided in the problem. 'Transcription' is the correct term for the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template, as described above. The other options ('Translation,' 'Translocation,' and 'Replication') refer to different biological processes.