Here's a breakdown:
* Eukaryotic gene structure: Eukaryotic genes are more complex than prokaryotic genes. They have introns (non-coding sequences) and exons (coding sequences).
* Transcription: The entire gene, including introns and exons, is transcribed into a pre-mRNA molecule.
* Splicing: The introns are removed from the pre-mRNA, and the exons are joined together to form a mature mRNA molecule.
* Translation: The mature mRNA molecule is then transported out of the nucleus to the ribosomes, where it is translated into a protein.
* Coding sequence/ORF: This is the continuous stretch of nucleotides within the mature mRNA that specifies the amino acid sequence of the protein. It starts with a start codon (usually AUG) and ends with a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA).
In summary, the coding sequence or open reading frame is the only part of the eukaryotic gene that is translated into protein.
