Where does transcription occur in eukaryotic cells?

• A. In the cytoplasm, on ribosomes
• B. In the nucleus, using RNA polymerase
• C. In mitochondria
• D. In the Golgi apparatus

Answer: (B)

Transcription in eukaryotic cells happens in the nucleus. This is where the DNA is housed and where the transcription machinery—the RNA polymerase enzymes and transcription factors—copy a DNA template into a primary RNA transcript. For the production of messenger RNA, RNA polymerase II is the key enzyme, and the RNA is processed (capping, splicing, and polyadenylation) inside the nucleus before it exits to the cytoplasm for translation on ribosomes.

The other locations described correspond to different cellular processes: the cytoplasm on ribosomes is where translation occurs, not transcription; and while mitochondria do perform some transcription, it’s limited to mitochondrial DNA and uses its own distinct polymerase, making the nucleus the main site for transcription of most cellular genes.