Where does transcription occur in the cell?

Where does transcription occur in the cell?

• A. Cytoplasm
• B. Ribosome
• C. Nucleus
• D. Mitochondria

Answer: (C)

Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template, and in eukaryotic cells the DNA is housed in the nucleus. The transcription machinery, including RNA polymerase II and various transcription factors, operates inside the nucleus, enabling the production of pre-mRNA that is then processed (capped, spliced, and polyadenylated) before it exits to the cytoplasm for translation. The cytoplasm is the site of protein synthesis on ribosomes, so transcription doesn’t typically occur there. While mitochondria have their own transcription systems, the primary location for transcribing nuclear genes is the nucleus, which is why that is the best answer.

Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template, and in eukaryotic cells the DNA is housed in the nucleus. The transcription machinery, including RNA polymerase II and various transcription factors, operates inside the nucleus, enabling the production of pre-mRNA that is then processed (capped, spliced, and polyadenylated) before it exits to the cytoplasm for translation. The cytoplasm is the site of protein synthesis on ribosomes, so transcription doesn’t typically occur there. While mitochondria have their own transcription systems, the primary location for transcribing nuclear genes is the nucleus, which is why that is the best answer.