Basic Principles of Transcription and Translation - Computer ...

Molecular Components of Transcription
RNA synthesis is catalyzed by RNA polymerase, which
pries the DNA strands apart and hooks together the RNA
nucleotides
RNA synthesis follows the same base-pairing rules as
DNA, except uracil substitutes for thymine
The DNA sequence where RNA polymerase attaches is
called the promoter; in bacteria, the sequence signaling
the end of transcription is called the terminator
The stretch of DNA that is transcribed is called a
transcription unit
Promoter
Transcription unit
5′
3′
DNA
Start point
RNA polymerase
1 Initiation
5′
3′
Unwound
DNA
RNA
transcript
Template strand
of DNA
2
Elongation
3′
5′
3′
5′
3′
Elongation
Nontemplate
strand of DNA
RNA
polymerase
3′ end
RNA nucleotides
5′
3′
5′
3′
Rewound
DNA
5′
RNA
transcript
5′
3′
3 Termination
Completed RNA transcript
3′
3′
5′
3′
5′
5′
5′
Newly made
RNA
Direction of
transcription
(“downstream”)
Template
strand of DNA