Final answer:
The helicase enzyme's activity during transcription results in the unwinding of the DNA, which is necessary for RNA polymerase to access and read the DNA template to synthesize mRNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
During transcription, the activity of a helicase enzyme downstream of the RNA polymerase results in the unwinding of the DNA. Helicase is an enzyme that systematically unwinds the DNA double helix, forming a replication fork to allow the DNA to be read by various enzymes including RNA polymerase during transcription. However, helicase is more often associated with DNA replication rather than transcription.
The answer to the student's question is: 1) Unwinding of the DNA. Helicase enzymes are not directly involved in the formation of mRNA, synthesis of proteins, or the replication of DNA during the process of transcription. These latter processes have distinct mechanisms. RNA polymerase is the enzyme that synthesizes mRNA by reading the DNA template during transcription. Proteins are synthesized during translation, where ribosomes read the information from mRNA in the cytoplasm.