NCERT Solutions
Class 12 Biology
Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Q.14
Briefly describe the following:
- Transcription
- Polymorphism
- Translation
- Bioinformatics
- Transcription:
Transcription is the process of synthesis of RNA from DNA template. This process starts at promoter region of the template DNA and terminates at the terminal region. It requires RNA polymerase enzyme, DNA template, ribonucleotides (A, U, C and G) and cofactors such as Mg2+.
This process occurs in three stages: initiation, elongation and termination.
DNA-dependent RNA polymerase bind at double stranded DNA at the promoter region of the template strand and initiate the process of transcription. RNA polymerase moves along DNA and leads to the unwinding of DNA duplex. One strand is called as sense strand which acts as a template for mRNA synthesis. RNA polymerase utilise dNTPs as raw material and polymerizes to form mRNA. This process continues till the enzyme reaches terminator region.
Newly synthesized mRNA along with enzyme is released.
- Polymorphism:
Polymorphism is a form of genetic variation in which distinct nucleotide sequence can exist at a particular site in a DNA molecule. Such variations are unique to the specific site of DNA and can occur due to deletion, insertion or substitution of bases. It can be done by making fragments of DNA and separating them by electrophoresis.
This is helpful in DNA fingerprinting and genetic mapping of the human genome.
- Translation:
Translation is the process of polymerization of amino acids to form a polypeptide. The triplet base in mRNA determines the order and sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain. Ribosome is the site of translation.
This process involves three stages: initiation, elongation and termination.
Initiation: The small subunit of ribosome binds to mRNA at the initiation codon followed by large subunit. tRNA binds to the start codon (AUG) on mRNA.
Elongation: The ribosomes moves one codon downstream along with mRNA so as to leave the space for binding of another charged tRNA. The amino acid brought by tRNA gets linked with the previous amino acid through a peptide bond and this process continues resulting in the formation of a polypeptide chain.
Termination: When ribosome reach the termination codon (UAA, UGA, UAG), the process of translation gets terminated. The polypeptide chain is released and the ribosomes get detached from mRNA.
- Bioinformatics:
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of molecular biology which deals with handling, storing of huge information of genomics, analyzing data and creating new knowledge.
Bioinformatics developed after the completion of human genome project (HGP).
It also involves creation of biological databases that store vast amount of information of biology.