Question

If the bottom strand of the DNA from the diagram above serves as the template strand, the RNA sequence, left to right 5′ to 3′, is:

a) ACGUCCGAACAUAA
b) UAAUGAACUCGAGA
c) UAAUGAACUGCGGA
d) AUGAACUUGACCGU

Answer 1

The mRNA sequence is determined by pairing RNA nucleotides with the complementary DNA bases of the template strand, with A pairing with U (instead of T) and C pairing with G.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the bottom strand of the DNA serves as the template for RNA synthesis, and the sequence of that DNA strand is provided, we determine the mRNA sequence by pairing RNA nucleotides with the complementary DNA bases, remembering that adenine pairs with uracil (since thymine is not present in RNA) and cytosine pairs with guanine.

For example, if a DNA template strand has the sequence 3'-TACTGACTGACGATC-5', the resulting RNA sequence would be 5'-AUGACUGACUGCUAG-3'.

In the multiple-choice question, if none of the options provided match the sequence that would be complementary to the template strand given, then it's likely that there has been an error in providing the right sequences or that the student is expected to deduce the correct answer based on the information provided.