Here's a breakdown:
* DNA contains the genetic code for building and maintaining an organism.
* RNA acts as a messenger, carrying the instructions from DNA to the ribosomes, where proteins are made.
During transcription:
1. Unwinding: The DNA double helix unwinds and separates into two strands.
2. Base Pairing: An enzyme called RNA polymerase uses one strand of DNA as a template to build a complementary RNA molecule.
3. Elongation: RNA polymerase moves along the DNA strand, adding RNA nucleotides one by one, following the base pairing rules (A with U, C with G).
4. Termination: RNA polymerase reaches a stop signal on the DNA, and the newly synthesized RNA molecule detaches from the DNA.
The resulting RNA molecule is called messenger RNA (mRNA), and it carries the genetic code for a specific protein to the ribosomes.
