What are the differences between transcription and translation?

Question

Accepted Answer

Genes provide the information necessary for building proteins. However, they are unable to create proteins directly. Protein production is carried out by transcription and translation, two processes that work in sequence and complement each other to synthesize proteins.

Basis for comparison
Transcription
Translation

Definition
Refers to the process of producing a strand of RNA from a strand of DNA
Refers to the process in which the information carried in mRNA molecules is used to produce proteins

Gene expression
First step of gene expression and is a prerequisite for the next step
Second and final step of gene expression

Precursor
Precursor is the non-coding or antisense DNA strand
Precursor is the mRNA produced during the transcription stage

Raw materials used
Raw materials include four base pairs of RNA – guanine, cytosine, adenine, and uracil
Raw materials include twenty amino acids

Initiation requirement
Initiated by specific DNA sequences known as promoter sequences
Initiated by the binding of mRNA

Site of occurrence
Takes place in the nucleus in eukaryotes
Takes place in the ribosomes on the endoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotes

Primary enzyme
RNA polymerase
aminoacetyl tRNA synthetase

Products created
mRNA, rRNA, tRNA, and non-coding RNA
synthesis of proteins

Basis for comparison	Transcription	Translation
Definition	Refers to the process of producing a strand of RNA from a strand of DNA	Refers to the process in which the information carried in mRNA molecules is used to produce proteins
Gene expression	First step of gene expression and is a prerequisite for the next step	Second and final step of gene expression
Precursor	Precursor is the non-coding or antisense DNA strand	Precursor is the mRNA produced during the transcription stage
Raw materials used	Raw materials include four base pairs of RNA – guanine, cytosine, adenine, and uracil	Raw materials include twenty amino acids
Initiation requirement	Initiated by specific DNA sequences known as promoter sequences	Initiated by the binding of mRNA
Site of occurrence	Takes place in the nucleus in eukaryotes	Takes place in the ribosomes on the endoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotes
Primary enzyme	RNA polymerase	aminoacetyl tRNA synthetase
Products created	mRNA, rRNA, tRNA, and non-coding RNA	synthesis of proteins

What are the differences between transcription and translation?

Posted October 13, 2020