Transcription and translation
Before gene expression can occur, DNA must first go through transcription and translation.
Transcription: This is when a segment of DNA is copied into RNA (riboneucleic acid). In the nucleus, a portion of DNA is used as a template to create RNA. During transcription, all of the nucleobases from DNA stay the same, except for Thymine (T), which is replaced with a new base called Uracil (U). This means that C and G code for each other, A codes for U, and T codes for A.
for example, if you had a strand of DNA that was ACGTAGTC then that would make a strand of RNA that was UGCAUCAG.
DNA > RNA
A > U
T > A
C > G
G > C
Translation: After the messenger RNA (mRNA) exits the nucleus, translation can then begin. During translation, ribosomes come over to decode the mRNA and create amino acids to be matched with codons from mRNA. Every codon (three nucleobases) has a corresponding amino acid that it will create. To find out which codon codes to which amino acid, you can look at a codon chart. After translation, proteins are formed and gene expression is able to occur!
Transcription: This is when a segment of DNA is copied into RNA (riboneucleic acid). In the nucleus, a portion of DNA is used as a template to create RNA. During transcription, all of the nucleobases from DNA stay the same, except for Thymine (T), which is replaced with a new base called Uracil (U). This means that C and G code for each other, A codes for U, and T codes for A.
for example, if you had a strand of DNA that was ACGTAGTC then that would make a strand of RNA that was UGCAUCAG.
DNA > RNA
A > U
T > A
C > G
G > C
Translation: After the messenger RNA (mRNA) exits the nucleus, translation can then begin. During translation, ribosomes come over to decode the mRNA and create amino acids to be matched with codons from mRNA. Every codon (three nucleobases) has a corresponding amino acid that it will create. To find out which codon codes to which amino acid, you can look at a codon chart. After translation, proteins are formed and gene expression is able to occur!
image source: http://www.tokresource.org