What is the process called when a cell makes an RNA copy from a DNA template?

Transcription is the process by which a cell makes an RNA copy from a DNA template.

During transcription, RNA polymerase binds near a gene and builds an RNA strand using complementary base-pairing rules. In RNA, uracil is used instead of thymine. For many protein-coding genes, the initial RNA transcript is processed before it becomes mature messenger RNA.

Transcription is different from DNA replication, which copies the entire DNA molecule before cell division. It is also different from translation, in which ribosomes use messenger RNA to assemble a protein. Reverse transcription runs in the opposite information direction and is used by retroviruses and some cellular enzymes.

Gene regulation often works by controlling when, where and how strongly transcription begins. As a result, cells with the same genome can produce different sets of RNAs and proteins, helping form specialised tissues such as muscle, liver and nerve cells.