What process involves the copying of DNA messages into RNA molecules?

The process that involves copying DNA messages into RNA molecules is known as transcription. During transcription, a specific segment of DNA is used as a template to synthesize messenger RNA (mRNA). This occurs in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells where the DNA resides. The RNA polymerase enzyme binds to the DNA at a specific region, unwinds the double helix, and synthesizes a complementary RNA strand using the DNA sequence as a guide.

Transcription is a crucial step in the central dogma of molecular biology, which explains the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. Once mRNA is synthesized, it can then be exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm where it will be translated into a protein by ribosomes.

Understanding transcription is key to grasping how genes are expressed and how the instructions encoded in DNA are ultimately used to produce the various proteins necessary for cellular function and organismal development.