Here's how it works:

* Transcription: RNA polymerase binds to a specific region of DNA called a promoter. It then unwinds the DNA double helix and uses one strand as a template to synthesize a complementary RNA molecule.

* Messenger RNA (mRNA): This RNA molecule, called messenger RNA (mRNA), carries the genetic code from the DNA to the ribosomes, where proteins are made.

While RNA polymerase is the main molecule that "reads" DNA, it doesn't actually decode the genetic information. That task is performed by ribosomes during protein synthesis.