Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
What determines which base is to be added to an RNA strand during transcription?
A
The sequence of the DNA template strand
B
The sequence of the mRNA
C
The sequence of the ribosomal RNA
D
The sequence of the RNA polymerase
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the process of transcription: Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template. During this process, the enzyme RNA polymerase reads the DNA sequence and synthesizes a complementary RNA strand.
Identify the role of the DNA template strand: The DNA template strand provides the sequence that determines which nucleotide will be added to the growing RNA strand. Each base in the DNA template pairs with a complementary RNA nucleotide.
Recognize base pairing rules: In RNA, adenine (A) pairs with uracil (U), cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G), guanine (G) pairs with cytosine (C), and thymine (T) in DNA pairs with adenine (A) in RNA.
Consider the function of RNA polymerase: RNA polymerase is the enzyme responsible for reading the DNA template strand and facilitating the addition of the correct RNA nucleotides based on the sequence of the DNA template.
Clarify the role of other RNA types: While mRNA, ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and RNA polymerase are involved in the overall process of gene expression, the sequence of the DNA template strand is the direct determinant of the RNA sequence during transcription.