| − | mRNA, like all RNA, is composed of four nucleic acids called bases, adenine (A), uracil (U), gaunine (G), and cytosine (C). RNA is created in a process called transcription. During transcription an enzyme called RNA polymerase binds to specific region of DNA, a gene, and uses the DNA nucleic acid sequence as a template to make a shorter, single stranded RNA. <ref> Alberts, Bruce; Johnson, Alexander; Lewis, Julian; Raff, Martin; Roberts, Keith; Walter, Peter. "Molecular Biology of the Cell". Garland Science ; c2002 </ref>
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| − | During [[translation]], the mRNA then is decoded to make protein. Combinations of three nucleic acids form a [[codon]]. Each codon corresponds with a specific [[amino acid]]. For example, the combination GAA codes for the amino acid glutamate. The translation machinery "reads" the mRNA and strings together the correct amino acids to form a protein. <ref> Alberts, Bruce; Johnson, Alexander; Lewis, Julian; Raff, Martin; Roberts, Keith; Walter, Peter. "Molecular Biology of the Cell". Garland Science ; c2002 </ref>
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