Back to 课程

Biology AS CIE

0% Complete
0/0 Steps
  1. 1-cell-structure
    10 主题
  2. 2-biological-molecules
    19 主题
  3. 3-enzymes
    13 主题
  4. 4-cell-membranes-and-transport
    16 主题
  5. 5-the-mitotic-cell-cycle
    8 主题
  6. 6-nucleic-acids-and-protein-synthesis
    9 主题
  7. 7-transport-in-plants
    11 主题
  8. 8-transport-in-mammals
    16 主题
  9. 9-gas-exchange
    6 主题
  10. 10-infectious-diseases
    6 主题
  11. 11-immunity
    10 主题
课 Progress
0% Complete

Exam code:9700

Template & non-template strands

  • In the transcription stage of protein synthesis, the section of the DNA molecule where the gene is located (the gene coding for a particular polypeptide) unwinds

    • The hydrogen bonds between the complementary base pairs break, causing the two DNA strands to ‘unzip’

  • Free activated RNA nucleotides then pair up with the exposed bases on the DNA molecule but only with those bases on one strand of the DNA molecule

  • This is the strand that is transcribed to form the mRNA molecule

    • This strand of the DNA molecule is called the template strand or the transcribed strand

  • The other strand of the DNA molecule is not transcribed

    • This strand is called the non-template strand or the non-transcribed strand

Diagram of DNA transcription showing RNA polymerase synthesising mRNA from a DNA template strand, indicating direction of synthesis and nucleotide pairing.
The template strand of the DNA molecule is the one that is transcribed

Examiner Tips and Tricks

The mRNA codons have the same base sequence as the non-transcribed strand, and the tRNA anticodons have the same base sequence as the transcribed strand (except that Thymine in the DNA strands is replaced by the base Uracil in mRNA and tRNA). 

Post-transcriptional modification

  • Within eukaryotic genes, there are both coding and non-coding sequences of DNA

    • The coding sequences are called exons

      • These sequences will eventually be translated into the amino acids that will form the final polypeptide

    • The non-coding sequences are called introns

      • These sequences are not translated (they do not code for any amino acids)

  • When transcription of a gene occurs, both the exons and introns are transcribed

    • This means the RNA molecule formed (known as the primary transcript) also contains exons and introns

  • As the introns are not to be translated, they must be removed from the RNA molecule

  • The exons are then all fused together to form a continuous RNA molecule called mature mRNA that is ready to be translated

    • This process is sometimes called ‘splicing’ and is part of the process of post-transcriptional modification (referring to the modification of the RNA molecule after transcription but before translation occurs)

Diagram showing genetic process: DNA transcription to RNA, intron removal, exon fusion, mRNA translation to amino acids, forming a protein chain.
The RNA molecule produced from transcription of a gene contains introns that must be removed before translation can occur

Responses

您的邮箱地址不会被公开。 必填项已用 * 标注