What is the difference between transcription and translation?

Both transcription and translation are involved in protein synthesis, transferring the information stored as DNA to amino acids. Transcription is the first process of the two, it is the formation of mRNA from the genetic code. This is done because DNA is too big to leave the nucleus and travel to the ribosome, where protein synthesis occurs, whereas mRNA (this is messenger RNA) is small enough. Translation is the second process, here the mRNA is used to code for each amino acid. 3 bases are used to code for 1 amino acid. This happens at the ribosomes. The amino acids then bond to form the proteins. A tip to remember the order of the processes could be that transcription is first alphabetically.

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Answered by Emily S. Biology tutor

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