How does transcription copy genetic information from DNA into messenger RNA?

Transcription is the biological process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template. This process is performed by the enzyme RNA polymerase, which ensures genetic information is accurately copied.123

The process follows these key steps:

• Initiation: RNA polymerase recognizes and binds to a specific DNA sequence called a promoter, which marks the start of a gene. The DNA strands separate at this site.23
• Elongation: The enzyme copies one strand of the DNA, known as the template strand. It links ribonucleotides sequentially to form a growing RNA chain. Energy for this synthesis is derived from the cleavage of high-energy phosphate bonds in the nucleotide precursors.12
• Complementary Pairing: The sequence of the RNA chain is determined by the DNA template through specific base-pairing rules: adenine (A) in DNA specifies uracil (U) in RNA, thymine (T) specifies adenine (A), cytosine (C) specifies guanine (G), and guanine (G) specifies cytosine (C).123
• Termination: Synthesis continues until a termination signal is reached, causing the RNA polymerase to release the DNA and the newly formed RNA molecule.23

In eukaryotes, the initial product is often pre-mRNA, which undergoes further processing before becoming mature messenger RNA.23