Final answer:
Transcription starts with DNA containing a promoter and ends with a mature mRNA; translation starts with this mRNA and ends with a polypeptide chain. The promoter initiates transcription, and a stop codon terminates translation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The starting material for transcription is the DNA template strand which contains a promoter region that initiates the process. Transcription begins with the binding of RNA polymerase to the promoter, and the creation of a pre-mRNA transcript is the result of this process. Following transcription, pre-mRNA undergoes splicing to form mature mRNA, which then exits the nucleus to be translated.
For translation, the starting material is the mature mRNA with a 5' cap and a poly-A tail. Translation initiates at the start codon present in the mRNA and involves the assembly of the translation machinery, which includes ribosomes, tRNAs, and various enzymes. The translation process ends when a stop codon is reached, resulting in a completed polypeptide chain.
During translation in eukaryotes, termination is not fully understood, but it generally involves stopping translation when the ribosome encounters a stop codon, signaling the end of the polypeptide synthesis.