Glossary

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Transcription

The first step in the expression of genetic information

The first step in expressing the genetic information stored in the sequence of different building blocks in DNA involves the production of a single-stranded RNA copy. This process is known as transcription (from the Latin scribere, to write).

Transcription can result in different forms of RNA with different functions:

• Messenger RNA (mRNA) delivers the genetic information from the cell nucleus to the ribosomes, which are the sites of protein synthesis in the cell. Here they are translated into a sequence of amino acids.
• Transfer RNA (tRNA) delivers the individual amino acids to the growing protein chain in the ribosomes.
• Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is involved in the structural formation of ribosomes.
• Small interfering RNA (siRNA) and micro RNA (miRNA) fulfil key functions in the regulation of cellular processes