During transcription, which strand of DNA serves as the template?
Practice Questions
Q1
During transcription, which strand of DNA serves as the template?
Coding strand
Non-coding strand
Both strands
Neither strand
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
During transcription, which strand of DNA serves as the template?
Step 1: Understand that DNA has two strands: the coding strand and the non-coding strand.
Step 2: The coding strand is the one that has the same sequence as the RNA (except for thymine being replaced by uracil).
Step 3: The non-coding strand is the one that is used as a template during transcription.
Step 4: During transcription, RNA polymerase reads the non-coding strand to create a complementary RNA strand.
Step 5: Therefore, the non-coding strand of DNA serves as the template for RNA synthesis.
Transcription – The process by which RNA is synthesized from a DNA template.
Template Strand – The strand of DNA that is used as a guide for RNA synthesis, typically the non-coding strand.
Coding vs Non-Coding Strands – Understanding the difference between the coding strand (which has the same sequence as the RNA) and the non-coding strand (which serves as the template).