BIOL230 Chapter 7 (Transcription) DNA → mRNA QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS 2
What is DNA transcription? - ✔✔DNA → mRNA. The process where DNA's message is
copied to RNA, specifically mRNA (messenger RNA). What term is often used
interchangeably with the Central Dogma of molecular biology (Gene → RNA → Protein)? -
✔✔Gene Expression What are the key differences in gene expression between gene A and
gene B? - ✔✔Gene A is coding DNA that produces many RNA copies and proteins
(amplification). Gene B does not code for a protein and produces only 1 RNA copy and
fewer proteins. How is RNA polymerase similar to DNA polymerase in the process of
transcription? - ✔✔Both use 1 template strand to synthesize their respective molecules—
RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA while DNA polymerase synthesizes DNA. How can RNA
and DNA be differentiated from each other? - ✔✔By their sugars and bases. How do the
sugars in RNA and DNA differ? - ✔✔RNA contains ribose sugar, which has a hydroxyl group
(-OH) at the 2' carbon position. DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, which has a hydrogen
atom (H+) at the 2' carbon position. How do the bases in RNA and DNA differ? - ✔✔In RNA,
URACIL pairs with adenine (U-A). In DNA, THYMINE pairs with adenine (T-A). Similar to DNA
replication, how do the hydrogen bonds in RNA transcription affect how easily the DNA
strand can be unzipped? - ✔✔In DNA Replication: A-T is easier to unzip because they have
few hydrogen bonds (only 2 H+). C-G is stronger & harder to unzip because they have more
hydrogen bonds (3 H+). In RNA transcription: A-U is also easier to unzip due to having only
2 H+. C-G is still stronger & harder to unzip due to having more; 3 H+. RNA is typically
single-stranded, but what type of structure can it sometimes fold into? - ✔✔A three-
dimensional (3D) structure. What allows RNA to fold into three-dimensional (3D)
structures? - ✔✔Both conventional and some nonconventional base pairs. What is the
main enzyme responsible for carrying out transcription (DNA → RNA)? - ✔✔RNA
polymerase Similar to DNA polymerase, what type of bond does RNA polymerase
catalyze/create during transcription? - ✔✔Phosphodiester bonds Unlike DNA polymerase,
which requires initiator proteins such as helicase to help unzip the DNA, how can RNA
polymerase unzip the DNA? - ✔✔RNA polymerase does not need help; it can unzip the
DNA on its own. Similar to DNA polymerase, in what direction does RNA polymerase add
nucleotides during transcription? - ✔✔It adds nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction. Unlike
DNA polymerase, which requires a primer to initiate synthesis, how does RNA polymerase
initiate synthesis during transcription? - ✔✔RNA polymerase can initiate synthesis on its
own without the need for a primer. Unlike DNA polymerase, which is highly accurate and
has a low error rate of 1 error for every 10^7 nucleotides, what is the error rate of RNA
, polymerase? - ✔✔RNA polymerase is less accurate and has a higher error rate than DNA
polymerase, with an error rate of 1 error for every 10^4 nucleotides. True or False: Many
molecules of RNA polymerase can simultaneously transcribe the same gene. - ✔✔True
What are the four types of RNA produced in cells? - ✔✔1. Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) 2.
Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) 3. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) 4. Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) Which types of
RNA are coding RNA? - ✔✔Messenger RNA (mRNA) Which types of RNA are non-coding
RNA? - ✔✔Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), MicroRNA (miRNA), and Transfer RNA (tRNA) What is
the function of Messenger RNAs (mRNAs)? - ✔✔They code for proteins. What is the
function of Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs)? - ✔✔They form the core of the ribosome's structure
and catalyze protein synthesis. What is the function of MicroRNAs (miRNAs)? - ✔✔They
regulate gene expression. What is the function of Transfer RNAs (tRNAs)? - ✔✔They serve
as adaptors between mRNA and amino acids during protein synthesis. What is gene
expression? - ✔✔The process by which information encoded in a DNA sequence is
converted into a product, either RNA or protein, that has an impact on the cell. What are
the two types of RNA transcription? - ✔✔1. Prokaryotic (bacterial) 2. Eukaryotic (plants and
animals) Which type of transcription (bacterial or eukaryotic) is more simple and which
type is more complex? - ✔✔Bacterial is more simple. Eukaryotic is more complex. What
are the two protein binding sites in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔1. Promoter 2. Terminator
Where is the Promoter (binding site in bacterial transcription) located? - ✔✔UPSTREAM of
the transcription start site. Where is the Terminator (binding site in bacterial transcription)
located? - ✔✔DOWNSTREAM of the transcription start site Which numbers represent the
UPSTREAM promoter regions in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔-35 and -10 Which number
represents the DOWNSTREAM start site in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔+1 Are the
numbers associated with the Upstream region in bacterial transcription positive or
negative? - ✔✔Negative Are the numbers associated with the Downstream region in
bacterial transcription positive or negative? - ✔✔Positive Which regions of the DNA are
transcribed into RNA during bacterial transcription, the promoter or terminator? - ✔✔The
terminator is the region that is transcribed into RNA. The promoter is not transcribed; it
simply serves to initiate the bacterial RNA transcription process. While RNA polymerase
synthesizes the RNA strand in the 5' to 3' direction, in which direction does it MOVE along
the DNA template strand? - ✔✔3' to 5' direction What determines the direction of RNA
transcription in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔The orientation of the Promoter. What are the
steps involved in the initiation of transcription in bacteria? - ✔✔1. RNA polymerase subunit
sigma factor binds and recognizes the promoter, initiating RNA synthesis. 2. Sigma subunit
dissociates/releases after initiation. 3. Chain elongation continues until the terminator
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS 2
What is DNA transcription? - ✔✔DNA → mRNA. The process where DNA's message is
copied to RNA, specifically mRNA (messenger RNA). What term is often used
interchangeably with the Central Dogma of molecular biology (Gene → RNA → Protein)? -
✔✔Gene Expression What are the key differences in gene expression between gene A and
gene B? - ✔✔Gene A is coding DNA that produces many RNA copies and proteins
(amplification). Gene B does not code for a protein and produces only 1 RNA copy and
fewer proteins. How is RNA polymerase similar to DNA polymerase in the process of
transcription? - ✔✔Both use 1 template strand to synthesize their respective molecules—
RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA while DNA polymerase synthesizes DNA. How can RNA
and DNA be differentiated from each other? - ✔✔By their sugars and bases. How do the
sugars in RNA and DNA differ? - ✔✔RNA contains ribose sugar, which has a hydroxyl group
(-OH) at the 2' carbon position. DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, which has a hydrogen
atom (H+) at the 2' carbon position. How do the bases in RNA and DNA differ? - ✔✔In RNA,
URACIL pairs with adenine (U-A). In DNA, THYMINE pairs with adenine (T-A). Similar to DNA
replication, how do the hydrogen bonds in RNA transcription affect how easily the DNA
strand can be unzipped? - ✔✔In DNA Replication: A-T is easier to unzip because they have
few hydrogen bonds (only 2 H+). C-G is stronger & harder to unzip because they have more
hydrogen bonds (3 H+). In RNA transcription: A-U is also easier to unzip due to having only
2 H+. C-G is still stronger & harder to unzip due to having more; 3 H+. RNA is typically
single-stranded, but what type of structure can it sometimes fold into? - ✔✔A three-
dimensional (3D) structure. What allows RNA to fold into three-dimensional (3D)
structures? - ✔✔Both conventional and some nonconventional base pairs. What is the
main enzyme responsible for carrying out transcription (DNA → RNA)? - ✔✔RNA
polymerase Similar to DNA polymerase, what type of bond does RNA polymerase
catalyze/create during transcription? - ✔✔Phosphodiester bonds Unlike DNA polymerase,
which requires initiator proteins such as helicase to help unzip the DNA, how can RNA
polymerase unzip the DNA? - ✔✔RNA polymerase does not need help; it can unzip the
DNA on its own. Similar to DNA polymerase, in what direction does RNA polymerase add
nucleotides during transcription? - ✔✔It adds nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction. Unlike
DNA polymerase, which requires a primer to initiate synthesis, how does RNA polymerase
initiate synthesis during transcription? - ✔✔RNA polymerase can initiate synthesis on its
own without the need for a primer. Unlike DNA polymerase, which is highly accurate and
has a low error rate of 1 error for every 10^7 nucleotides, what is the error rate of RNA
, polymerase? - ✔✔RNA polymerase is less accurate and has a higher error rate than DNA
polymerase, with an error rate of 1 error for every 10^4 nucleotides. True or False: Many
molecules of RNA polymerase can simultaneously transcribe the same gene. - ✔✔True
What are the four types of RNA produced in cells? - ✔✔1. Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) 2.
Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) 3. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) 4. Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) Which types of
RNA are coding RNA? - ✔✔Messenger RNA (mRNA) Which types of RNA are non-coding
RNA? - ✔✔Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), MicroRNA (miRNA), and Transfer RNA (tRNA) What is
the function of Messenger RNAs (mRNAs)? - ✔✔They code for proteins. What is the
function of Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs)? - ✔✔They form the core of the ribosome's structure
and catalyze protein synthesis. What is the function of MicroRNAs (miRNAs)? - ✔✔They
regulate gene expression. What is the function of Transfer RNAs (tRNAs)? - ✔✔They serve
as adaptors between mRNA and amino acids during protein synthesis. What is gene
expression? - ✔✔The process by which information encoded in a DNA sequence is
converted into a product, either RNA or protein, that has an impact on the cell. What are
the two types of RNA transcription? - ✔✔1. Prokaryotic (bacterial) 2. Eukaryotic (plants and
animals) Which type of transcription (bacterial or eukaryotic) is more simple and which
type is more complex? - ✔✔Bacterial is more simple. Eukaryotic is more complex. What
are the two protein binding sites in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔1. Promoter 2. Terminator
Where is the Promoter (binding site in bacterial transcription) located? - ✔✔UPSTREAM of
the transcription start site. Where is the Terminator (binding site in bacterial transcription)
located? - ✔✔DOWNSTREAM of the transcription start site Which numbers represent the
UPSTREAM promoter regions in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔-35 and -10 Which number
represents the DOWNSTREAM start site in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔+1 Are the
numbers associated with the Upstream region in bacterial transcription positive or
negative? - ✔✔Negative Are the numbers associated with the Downstream region in
bacterial transcription positive or negative? - ✔✔Positive Which regions of the DNA are
transcribed into RNA during bacterial transcription, the promoter or terminator? - ✔✔The
terminator is the region that is transcribed into RNA. The promoter is not transcribed; it
simply serves to initiate the bacterial RNA transcription process. While RNA polymerase
synthesizes the RNA strand in the 5' to 3' direction, in which direction does it MOVE along
the DNA template strand? - ✔✔3' to 5' direction What determines the direction of RNA
transcription in bacterial transcription? - ✔✔The orientation of the Promoter. What are the
steps involved in the initiation of transcription in bacteria? - ✔✔1. RNA polymerase subunit
sigma factor binds and recognizes the promoter, initiating RNA synthesis. 2. Sigma subunit
dissociates/releases after initiation. 3. Chain elongation continues until the terminator
