RNA polymerase in transcription

• A. Replicates DNA.
• B. Translates mRNA into protein.
• C. Synthesizes RNA using a DNA template.
• D. Cuts introns from RNA.

Answer: (C)

RNA polymerase's job during transcription is to synthesize RNA using a DNA template. It binds to the DNA at a promoter, unwinds a short stretch, and then adds ribonucleotides complementary to the template strand, building the RNA in the 5' to 3' direction. This creates an RNA copy that can be processed into mRNA, rRNA, or tRNA. It does not replicate DNA (that’s the role of DNA polymerase in DNA replication), it does not translate RNA into protein (translation happens at the ribosome), and it does not cut introns from RNA (splicing, done by the spliceosome, removes introns after transcription).