This document provides information about DNA, RNA, transcription, and related concepts: 1) Transcription is the process where DNA is used as a template to create mRNA, which is necessary because DNA remains in the nucleus while mRNA can move to the cytoplasm to direct protein synthesis. 2) During transcription, the mRNA nucleotides pair with complementary DNA nucleotides - A pairs with U and G pairs with C - to create the mRNA strand. 3) Transcription is carried out by the enzyme RNA polymerase, which binds to DNA and synthesizes mRNA using the DNA as a template.

1. Assign Yourself: Transcription
problems
• Do Now:
1. What are 3 differences between DNA and
RNA?
2. Which is the universal code? (DNA, RNA, or
both)
3. Which is made of nucleotides? (DNA, RNA, or
both)
4. Which one is a nucleic acid? (DNA, RNA, or
both)

2. Transcription:
DNA to mRNA

3. Before 1980: Insulin from livestock

4. Today: Insulin from E. coli bacteria

5. How is DNA used to make proteins?
DNA  mRNA  Protein
Transcription Translation
DNA mRNA Protein

6. How is DNA organized?
• Nucleotide = building block; just has 1 base (“letter”)
• Gene = a piece of DNA with instructions to make 1
protein; 50 to 5000 bases (“letters”)
• Chromosome = a very long piece of DNA wound
tightly into an X shape; millions of bases (“letters”)
• Genome = all the DNA in all the chromosomes
inside a cell

7. Processing Piece
• Draw a picture to represent how DNA is organized.
Use the words “nucleotide,” “gene,”
“chromosome” and “genome.”
1. What organelle synthesizes (makes) proteins?
2. Can the DNA ever leave the nucleus to go to the
ribosome?

8. What is transcription?
• Transcription is when DNA is used to make mRNA.
Why is transcription important?
• DNA can’t leave the nucleus. So, mRNA has to take
the instructions from the DNA to the ribosome.

9. Processing Piece:
• Draw a picture of to represent the process of
transcription.
(Example: At a restaurant, a waitress writes
down your order to carry it to the kitchen.)

10. How does transcription happen?
1. DNA unwinds.
2. RNA nucleotides pair with DNA nucleotides:
A with U, G with C
3. The RNA nucleotides form a mRNA strand.

11. Processing Piece:
• Illustrate each of the 3 steps of transcription.

12. Video?

13. What is RNA polymerase?
• An enzyme that helps make the mRNA strand
during transcription.

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15. Exit Ticket
1. What is transcription?
2. If a gene in the DNA has this sequence of
bases, what bases would the mRNA have?
AATTGC
3. Put these in order from SMALLEST to
LARGEST:
Gene, Nucleotide, Genome, Chromosome