Which process involves making RNA from a DNA template?

The process of making RNA from a DNA template is known as transcription. During transcription, the enzyme RNA polymerase binds to the DNA at a specific region called the promoter. It unwinds the DNA strands, allowing it to read one strand of the DNA sequence. This strand serves as the template, and RNA polymerase synthesizes a complementary RNA strand by adding ribonucleotides that are complementary to the DNA nucleotides.

Transcription is a critical step in gene expression, where the genetic information encoded in DNA is converted into an RNA message, which can later be translated into a protein. This understanding of transcription is fundamental in biotechnology and molecular biology, as it is the first step in the pathway from genotype to phenotype, and affects how organisms express their traits and react to their environment.

Other processes mentioned, such as replication, involve duplicating the DNA itself, translation refers to the conversion of mRNA into protein, and mutation signifies a change in the DNA sequence, rather than a process of RNA synthesis from DNA. Each of these processes has a distinct role in the overall functioning of genetic expression and maintenance.