What is the process of transcription?

Transcription is a fundamental biological process where RNA is synthesized from a DNA template. During transcription, the enzyme RNA polymerase binds to a specific region of the DNA, known as the promoter. This binding initiates the unraveling of the DNA strands, allowing one strand to serve as a template for the synthesis of an RNA molecule. The RNA polymerase moves along the DNA, adding complementary RNA nucleotides in a sequence that corresponds to the nucleotide sequence of the DNA template. This process occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells and results in the formation of messenger RNA (mRNA), which later carries the genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes for protein synthesis.

This option correctly captures the essence of transcription, distinguishing it from the other processes listed. For instance, the assembly of amino acids into proteins pertains to translation, which occurs after transcription. DNA replication involves the duplication of the entire DNA molecule, a different process essential for cell division. Finally, while RNA modification is significant in the processing of the newly synthesized RNA, it is a separate step that occurs after transcription, not part of the transcription process itself. Therefore, the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template is the defining characteristic of transcription.