What is the process called when the DNA sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA?

The process in which the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA) is known as transcription. During transcription, the DNA double helix unwinds, and one of the strands serves as a template for synthesizing a single-stranded RNA molecule. The enzyme RNA polymerase is responsible for this process, binding to the promoter region of the gene and adding RNA nucleotides complementary to the DNA template strand. This results in the formation of mRNA, which carries the genetic information from the DNA in the nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm, where it can be used for protein synthesis.

Transcription is a critical step in gene expression, serving as the first stage in a two-part process that includes translation, where the information in mRNA is used to produce proteins. This is distinct from replication, which involves making copies of the entire DNA, and mutation, which refers to changes in the DNA sequence itself. Translation is a separate process that follows transcription to produce proteins.