Transcription occurs in the nucleus of a cell, while translation occurs in the cytoplasm. Both processes are crucial steps in the expression of genes.
During transcription, the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA). This process takes place in the nucleus where the cell’s DNA is housed. The mRNA then exits the nucleus and enters the cytoplasm.
Translation, on the other hand, is the process by which the mRNA is read by ribosomes to synthesize proteins. This process takes place in the cytoplasm, where ribosomes use the information carried by the mRNA to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain, ultimately folding into a functional protein.
In summary, transcription and translation are two distinct but interrelated stages of gene expression, with transcription happening in the nucleus and translation occurring in the cytoplasm.