Where does transcription take place?

• A. In the nucleus
• B. In the cytoplasm
• C. In the lysosomes
• D. In the ribosomes

Answer: (A)

Transcription copies DNA into RNA and happens in the nucleus because the DNA template is housed there and the transcription machinery—RNA polymerase and various factors—needs access to that DNA inside the nuclear envelope. In eukaryotic cells, DNA stays in the nucleus, RNA processing (like 5' capping, splicing, and polyadenylation) also occurs there, and only then is the mature RNA exported to the cytoplasm to be translated on ribosomes. Translation takes place in the cytoplasm (or on the rough endoplasmic reticulum), not in the nucleus. Lysosomes are digestive organelles and have no role in transcription.