Question

If the sequence of the coding strand in the transcription unit is written as follows:
5’-ATGCATGCATGCATGCATGCATGCATGC-3’ Write down the sequence of mRNA.

Answer 1

Hint: mRNA stands for messenger ribonucleic acid. It is a single stranded RNA molecule. It is complementary to that of DNA (deoxy ribo nucleic acid).

Complete Answer:
- Template strand is the strand which is used by the DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase to attach complementary bases during DNA replication and RNA transcription.
- The template strand is the strand by which mRNA is made because it serves as a template for the transcription process. This strand is also called the antisense strand. This strand runs in a 3’ to 5’ direction.

Coding strand: The strand of DNA other than the template strand is called the coding strand.
- This strand does not involve mRNA transcription because it corresponds to the same sequences as the mRNA contains except for the Uracil in place of Thymine.
- The coding strand runs in a 5’ to 3’ direction.
- As we have discussed earlier, mRNA contains sequences the same as the coding strand of DNA. The only difference is that thymine in DNA is replaced by uracil in case of RNA.
- The sequence of coding strands is 5’-ATGCATGCATGCATGCATGCATGCATGC-3’. The sequence of mRNA strand will be 5’-AUGCAUGCAUGCAUGCAUGCAUGCAUGC-3’

Note: RNA transcription is one of the processes of central dogma. It is the process of formation of RNA from the DNA by the enzyme RNA polymerase. Both RNA and DNA are the nucleic acids. Both of these nucleotides use base pairs of nucleotides as a complementary language.