what is transcription

Transcription is the process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA). It is the first step in gene expression, in which information from a gene is used to construct a functional product such as a protein. During transcription, the DNA sequence of a gene is transcribed (copied out) to make an RNA molecule. This copy, called messenger RNA (mRNA), carries the gene’s protein information encoded in DNA. Transcription is carried out by an enzyme called RNA polymerase and a number of accessory proteins called transcription factors. Transcription is divided into four major steps: initiation, promoter escape, elongation, and termination). The newly formed mRNA copies of the gene then serve as blueprints for protein synthesis during the process of translation.