BiologyGenetics

Where Does Transcription Take Place in a Eukaryotic Cell?

The nucleus is the expected answer for nuclear genes, but mitochondria and chloroplasts also transcribe their own DNA.

Question

Where does transcription take place in a eukaryotic cell?A. CytoplasmB. NucleusC. Golgi apparatusD. Mitochondria

Answer

B. Nucleus is the expected introductory answer for transcription of nuclear genes. RNA polymerases use DNA in the nucleus as a template to synthesize RNA.

For a nuclear protein-coding gene, the resulting RNA can be processed and exported; translation then occurs on ribosomes outside the nucleus. Transcription makes RNA, whereas translation makes a polypeptide.

A limitation in the original options

The unqualified wording is broader than the usual classroom answer. D. Mitochondria is also biologically valid for mitochondrial genes, because mitochondria transcribe their own genomes. Chloroplasts likewise transcribe their own DNA in cells that have them.

Thus, B is the intended single answer under the nuclear-gene convention, but it is not the only possible site if the question is read literally as asking about all transcription in a eukaryotic cell. The Golgi apparatus does not perform nuclear-gene transcription, and the cytoplasm option should not be confused with the location of translation.

Evidence boundary

The four options are preserved from the same Pearson question version. B is the expected answer only under the implicit nuclear-gene scope; with unrestricted wording D is also a transcription site. The page does not claim that all eukaryotic transcription occurs exclusively in the nucleus.

Sources

These references support the concepts and methods used in the explanation above.

Where Does Transcription Take Place in a Eukaryotic Cell? | Verla