Final answer:
The template strand of DNA serves as a guide for mRNA synthesis. It helps the enzyme RNA polymerase to add nucleotides that are complementary to the DNA template, resulting in the synthesis of mRNA. The thymine (T) nucleotides in the DNA template are replaced by uracil (U) nucleotides in the mRNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
The template strand of DNA serves as a guide for mRNA synthesis. During transcription, an enzyme called RNA polymerase proceeds along the template strand, adding nucleotides that are complementary to the DNA template. The resulting mRNA molecule is almost identical to the nontemplate strand of DNA, but with the thymine (T) nucleotides replaced by uracil (U) nucleotides.