Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
RNA polymerase is an enzyme that synthesizes RNA from a DNA template during the process of transcription. It unwinds the DNA strand, reads the nucleotide sequence, and assembles a complementary strand of RNA.
The process by which genetic information encoded in DNA is copied into a complementary RNA strand by RNA polymerase.
mRNA (Messenger RNA): A type of RNA synthesized from DNA in the cell nucleus that carries genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosome for protein synthesis.
Nucleotide: The basic building block of nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), consisting of a nitrogenous base, a sugar molecule, and one or more phosphate groups