DNA transcription mechanism. Animation showing schematically the process by which a strand of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, yellow bases) is used as a template to synthesize a strand of RNA (ribonucleic acid, blue bases). This process is known as transcription, and is used to read and transmit the information coded in DNA, central to the biochemistry of life. As shown, the process requires a transcription initiation site (green, upper left) where the DNA strands separate, giving access to the RNA polymerase (blue, oval). The nascent RNA chain grows from its 5' end to its 3' end, as the transcription runs towards the termination site (red, upper right). The DNA around the transcription site is divided into an upstream region (left) and a downstream region (right). The termination step is followed by the closing of the DNA strands and the liberation of a complete strand of RNA. For this animation with labels, see K004/1998. |