The Transcription of Life: From DNA to RNA

In the last 50 years, I have dedicated my career to studying fundamental questions in biology. These questions address some of the most basic processes of life, such as “How do cells carrying the same genetic information differentiate into some 200 cell types in the human body?” and “How do cells remodel in response to environmental information?” In this article I will take you on a journey through some of my research into these questions. I will describe my main findings about DNA and its transcription to mRNA through a complex machinery called RNA polymerase II. mRNA is eventually translated into proteins that play a variety of major roles within the organism, including building cells, responding to environmental signals, accelerating chemical reactions, and transmitting signals between distant tissues. Last, I will share with you some fascinating open questions that we are now working on and close with a few tips for you—the scientists of the future.