The process of converting a sequence of nucleotides in a section of DNA to a sequence of nucleotides in RNA, as a precursor to protein synthesis is called
A deciphering
B encryption
C translation
D transcription
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is D) transcription.
Transcription is the process in which an RNA molecule is synthesized from a DNA template. This is the first step in the process of protein synthesis, which is later followed by translation. During transcription, an enzyme called RNA polymerase reads a segment of DNA and uses it to create a complementary strand of messenger RNA (mRNA).
In this process, the DNA double helix unwinds and one strand, called the template strand, is used to guide the construction of the mRNA. The mRNA is synthesized by adding complementary RNA nucleotides, with uracil (U) replacing thymine (T) in the RNA sequence. For example, if the DNA template has an adenine (A), the RNA will have a uracil (U) in its place. This is essential because the mRNA will later be translated into a protein, and the sequence of nucleotides in the mRNA dictates the order of amino acids in the protein.
Once transcription is complete, the mRNA molecule is released and undergoes further processing, such as splicing, capping, and polyadenylation, before it exits the nucleus. It then travels to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm, where translation occurs.
In contrast, translation refers to the next step in protein synthesis, where the mRNA sequence is decoded to build a polypeptide chain (protein). The terms “deciphering” and “encryption” are not related to these biological processes. Deciphering refers to interpreting a code, and encryption refers to securing information, neither of which apply to the biological conversion of genetic information into RNA. Therefore, transcription is the correct term for the process described.