Biology Forum Molecular Biology Transcription

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    • #13706
      ACyanNight
      Participant

      Since RNA is transcribed by complementary pair matching, and DNA is double stranded, does that mean that only one side is used each time? Since the other side would result in a different sequence of bases? If so, how does the RNA polymerase know which side, and does that mean that only one strand is actually used, and the other strand is purely for replication purposes?

    • #101065
      JackBean
      Participant

      Basically yes to all your questions 😉 But both strands can be used for transcription, but only one each time 😉
      And the RNA Pol recognize it by binding to specific sequence

    • #101068
      ACyanNight
      Participant

      Hm…. Say you have a strand of DNA that goes

      ATGCAGTCGACCGAT
      TACGTCAGCTGGCTA

      So, the two possible mRNA’s would be

      UACGUCAGCUGGCUA

      AUGCAGUCGACCGAU

      The sequences would obviously result in different amino acid sequences, right? So, would both create working proteins? Or would only one?

    • #101079
      sorin
      Participant

      transcription initiation only occurs at the strand that is defined by specific sequence patterns, as jackbean already mentioned. At the key of this patterns are promotors, which lie 5′ upstream of each gene. Promotors mediate interactions between DNA binding proteins and the RNA polymerase, whereby transcription is initiated. So of course will the transcription of both strands results in different polypeptides, but it is important to consider if both strands are actually transcribed inside the cell…

    • #101090
      JackBean
      Participant
      quote sorin:

      Promotors mediate interactions between DNA binding proteins and the RNA polymerase, whereby transcription is initiated.

      Well, actually DNA binding proteins mediate the interaction between DNA (in form of promotor) and RNA Pol 😉

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