In which direction does rna polymerase synthesize mrna?

in which direction does rna polymerase synthesize mrna?

In which direction does RNA polymerase synthesize mRNA?

Answer: RNA polymerase synthesizes mRNA in the 5’ to 3’ direction. This means it adds nucleotides to the 3’ end of the growing mRNA molecule.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

  1. Template Strand: RNA polymerase reads the DNA template strand in the 3’ to 5’ direction. This is necessary for it to synthesize the complementary mRNA strand.

  2. Nucleotide Addition: As it moves along the template strand, RNA polymerase adds complementary RNA nucleotides (A, U, C, G) to the growing mRNA strand. It pairs adenine (A) with uracil (U) instead of thymine (T).

  3. Directionality: The process continues sequentially, with each new nucleotide added to the 3’ end of the mRNA strand, maintaining a 5’ to 3’ synthesis direction.

Summary: RNA polymerase synthesizes mRNA from 5’ to 3’, reading the DNA template from 3’ to 5’. This directional synthesis ensures the correct mRNA sequence complementary to the DNA template.