Transcription in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

... Transcription in eukaryotes and prokaryotes 25 March 2003 General introduction to transcription Both eukaryotes and prokaryotes use various forms of the enzyme RNA polymerase to catalyse the process of transcription. The unwinding of the DNA helix in order to synthesise RNA occurs as part of the function of prokaryotic RNA polymerase, whereas eukaryotes use additional proteins to perform this function within the nucleus, after which the RNA migrates through pores in the nuclear envelope to the cytoplasm where protein synthesis occurs in association with ribosomes. Each triplet codon in the mRNA is formed into amino acids and correctly inserted into a polypeptide chain. RNA is synthesised in the 5' -to- 3' direction from the template DNA strand, read in the opposing 3' -to- 5' direction. Maturation of RNA from the primary transcript involves complex stages known as processing, involving modifications of pre-mRNA such as the addition of a 5' cap and

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