A researcher develops a new drug that kills cells by preventing transcription. The most direct effect of the drug is to prevent cells from?
A. making new DNA
B. exporting substances to the cytoplasm
C. breaking down substances in the cytoplasm
D. making protein
To determine the most direct effect of the drug that prevents transcription and kills cells, we first need to understand the process of transcription within a cell.
Transcription is a crucial step in gene expression that involves the synthesis of RNA molecules using DNA as a template. During transcription, the DNA molecule is "read" by an enzyme called RNA polymerase, which generates an RNA sequence complementary to the DNA template.
Now, let's consider the impact of the drug on cellular processes. If the drug prevents transcription, it directly inhibits the synthesis of RNA molecules. As a result, the answer to the question is:
D. making protein
Transcription is necessary for protein synthesis because the RNA molecules created during transcription are subsequently used as templates for translation, which is the process where proteins are produced. Therefore, preventing transcription will hinder the production of new proteins in the cell.