What is the process of producing an RNA copy from a gene called?

The process of producing an RNA copy from a gene is known as transcription. During transcription, a specific segment of DNA is decoded by RNA polymerase to synthesize a complementary RNA strand. This step is crucial in gene expression, as it serves as the initial phase where the information in a gene is transferred to an RNA molecule.

Transcription involves several key steps: initiation, elongation, and termination. In initiation, RNA polymerase binds to the promoter region of the gene. During elongation, RNA polymerase moves along the DNA template strand, adding RNA nucleotides that are complementary to the DNA sequence. Finally, in termination, RNA synthesis concludes when RNA polymerase reaches a stop signal in the DNA.

This process is distinct from translation, where the RNA copy is used to synthesize proteins, and replication, which refers to the duplication of DNA for cell division. Mutation involves changes in the DNA sequence that can affect gene function but does not describe the process of RNA synthesis. Understanding transcription is fundamental for grasping how genes are expressed and regulated in biological systems.