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Steps of Transcription definitions

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  • Initiation
    The first phase where RNA polymerase binds to the promoter and separates DNA strands to start RNA synthesis.
  • Elongation
    The stage where RNA polymerase adds RNA nucleotides, building an RNA strand using the DNA template.
  • Termination
    The final phase where RNA polymerase reaches a terminator sequence, releasing the RNA molecule.
  • RNA Polymerase
    The main enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA by reading the DNA template during transcription.
  • Promoter
    A specific DNA region where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.
  • Transcription Factor
    A protein in eukaryotes required to help RNA polymerase bind to the promoter region.
  • Template Strand
    The DNA strand used as a guide for assembling a complementary RNA sequence.
  • Terminator
    A DNA sequence signaling RNA polymerase to stop transcription and release the RNA product.
  • Pre-mRNA
    The initial RNA transcript in eukaryotes that requires processing before translation.
  • RNA Processing
    The modification steps needed to convert pre-mRNA into mature, functional RNA in eukaryotes.
  • Gene
    A DNA segment containing the instructions for synthesizing a specific RNA molecule.
  • Coding Sequence
    The portion of a gene that is transcribed into RNA and encodes information for protein synthesis.
  • 5' to 3' Direction
    The orientation in which RNA polymerase synthesizes the new RNA strand during elongation.
  • Prokaryote
    An organism whose RNA is ready for translation immediately after transcription, without processing.
  • Eukaryote
    An organism that requires transcription factors for initiation and RNA processing after transcription.