Question

How do DNA replication and DNA transcription differ?

Answer 1

The method of acquiring two daughter strands, each containing half of the DNA double helix, is known as DNA replication. The method of moving genetic material from DNA to RNA is known as transcription.

Complete answer:
A double-stranded DNA molecule breaks into two identical daughter strands during DNA replication. As a result, each daughter cell produces the same genetic material as the parent cell during cell division. DNA polymerase is the primary enzyme involved in DNA replication. Each strand receives new nucleotides.

Transcription is the process of turning a DNA molecule into an RNA molecule. To synthesise a complementary RNA molecule, RNA polymerase uses one of the DNA strands as a template. The transcript is the RNA molecule that is synthesised.

| Replication| Transcription
---|---|---
Occurrence| S phase of the cell cycle| G1 and G2 phase of the cell cycle
Primer| Requires RNA primer to start replication| Does not require a primer
Enzymes| DNA Polymerase, DNA Helicase| RNA polymerase, Transcriptase
Genome copy| The whole genome is copied| Only some genes are copied
Position| Found along the line of DNA| Found only on 1 strand of DNA
Raw materials| dATP, dTTP, dCTP and dGTP| ATP, GTP, CTP, and UTP
Intend| Keeping the genome secure for future generations| Individually copying the RNA of genes
Result| 2 daughter strands| mRNA, rRNA, non-coding RNA and tRNA
Degradation| The products do not deteriorate. | Products deteriorate.

Note: Both DNA replication and transcription involve the generation of a new DNA copy in a cell. DNA transcription involves the replication of DNA into RNA, while DNA replication makes another copy of DNA. Both processes are involved in the production of new nucleic acids-DNA or RNA. Newly produced nucleic acids have a number of similarities but vary in function. i.e. one involved in the division of cells and the other involved in gene expression.