6.

3 c) explain
9th
grade

transcription and
stages involved
( initiation, elongation and termination )
in mRNA strand from 5’ to 3’
TRANSCRIPTION
DEFINITION
- A process by which genetic information on DNA is transcribed to form mRNA
- Occurs in nucleus

STAGES
1. Initiation
2. Elongation
3. Termination
 1. INITIATION
- Transcription starts at a specific site on DNA called promoter
- Different genes have different promoter

promoter :
● Determine which strand of DNA helix is the template (only 1 strand is copied by the RNA polymerase
● Starting point for the transcription of a gene

● Provide the binding site for RNA polymerase

IN EUKARYOTIC CELL :
● Proteins called transcription factors recognize and bind to the promoter region (includes TATA box)
● Transcription factors mediate the binding of RNA polymerase to the promoter
● RNA polymerase binds to the promoter forming transcription initiation complex
2. ELONGATION
- RNA polymerase moves along the DNA and unwinds the double helix
- One of the strand function as template
- RNA polymerase adds RNA nucleotides to the the 3’ end of the growing
mRNA strand complementary to the bases of the DNA template
- The bases joined up to form a single strand of mRNA
3. TERMINATION
- transcription stop at specific site on DNA called
terminator( signals the end of transcription)
- RNA polymerase regconizes a termination sequence of
bases in DNA template
- The transcribed terminator (RNA sequence) function as
termination signal causing :
- i)RNA polymerase detaches from DNA template
- ii)RNA transcript (pre-mRNA is released)
 RNA PROCESSING
- Modification of mRNA within a
eukaryotic nucleus is known as
post-transcriptional processing
- Both ends of the mRNA are altered

- Results in a fully functional mRNA

ready for export to the cytoplasm
 Alteration of mRNA ends
- At the end of the pre-mRNA
molecule, a modified form of
guanine is added, the 5’ cap
- At the 3’ end, an enzyme adds
adenine (A) nucleotides, the poly(A)
tail.
Functions :
● Helps protect mRNA from
hydrolytic enzymes
● Facilitate the export of mRNA from
the nucleus into the cytoplasm
● Helps ribosome attach to the 5’
end of the mRNA once the mRNA
reaches the cytoplasm
01 02 RNA splicing
- Genes may contain
noncoding sequences called
introns and coding
sequences called exons
- Introns have to be removed
to produce the functional
mRNA
- The process is called mRNA
splicing accomplished by an
organelle called the
spliceosome
- The exons are joined
together
- mRNA contains only exons
and ready to leave nucleus
to be translated in
cytoplasm
HOW IS RNA
SPLICING CARRIED
OUT ?
- Rhe removal of intron is
accomplished by a large complex
made of proteins and small RNAs
called a spliceosom
- The intron is then released and the
spliceosom joins together the two
exons