What is the process by which mRNA is synthesized from a DNA template?

The process by which mRNA is synthesized from a DNA template is known as transcription. During transcription, the enzyme RNA polymerase binds to a specific region of the DNA, called the promoter, and unwinds the DNA strands. It then reads the DNA sequence of one strand (the template strand) and synthesizes a complementary strand of mRNA by adding ribonucleotides that pair with the DNA bases. For example, where there is an adenine (A) in the DNA template, uracil (U) is added to the mRNA, while cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G). This process is crucial for gene expression, as it creates the mRNA that will later be translated into a protein.

In contrast, replication is the process of duplicating the entire DNA molecule before cell division, while translation refers to the synthesis of proteins from mRNA. Translocation involves the movement of ribosomes along the mRNA during translation or may refer to movements of chromosomes. Hence, transcription is the specific process that directly relates to the synthesis of mRNA from a DNA template.