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What is the function of RNA polymerase in the process of transcription?

Question

What is the function of RNA polymerase in the process of transcription?

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Solution

RNA polymerase is an essential enzyme in the process of transcription, which is the first step in gene expression. Its primary function is to synthesize RNA from a DNA template. Here’s how it works:

  1. Initiation: RNA polymerase binds to a specific region of the DNA called the promoter. This binding initiates the unwinding of the DNA strands, allowing the enzyme to access the template strand.

  2. Elongation: Once bound, RNA polymerase moves along the DNA template strand in the 3' to 5' direction, adding complementary RNA nucleotides to the growing RNA strand in the 5' to 3' direction. This process continues as the enzyme reads the DNA sequence and synthesizes a corresponding RNA molecule.

  3. Termination: Transcription continues until RNA polymerase reaches a termination signal on the DNA, which prompts the enzyme to release the newly synthesized RNA strand and detach from the DNA.

Overall, RNA polymerase is crucial for transcribing genetic information from DNA into RNA, which can then be translated into proteins or function as RNA molecules in various cellular processes.

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