DNAsjabloon

DNAsjabloon, or DNA template, is the strand of DNA that serves as the pattern for synthesizing a complementary strand. In cellular processes, the template can be one of the two strands in a double helix. During DNA replication, each strand acts as a template for the synthesis of a new complementary strand by DNA polymerase, yielding two daughter duplexes in a semi-conservative manner. The template strand is read in a 3' to 5' direction, while the newly synthesized strand grows in the 5' to 3' direction.

In transcription, RNA polymerase uses the DNA template strand to generate an RNA transcript that is complementary to that template; the resulting RNA has the same sequence as the non-template (coding) strand, except that uracil replaces thymine. In gene analysis and amplification techniques such as PCR, “template DNA” refers to the DNA sample containing the region of interest that serves as the substrate for enzymatic synthesis and amplification.

Key properties of a DNA template include its role in determining the order of nucleotides in the product, and its antiparallel orientation relative to the new strand. High-fidelity synthesis relies on proofreading by polymerases and, in cells, DNA repair mechanisms to correct errors that arise during templated synthesis.

DNAsjabloon is a central concept in the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA and protein, underpinning replication, transcription, and many molecular biology techniques. It is used to describe both the natural template strands in genomes and the specific template sequences exploited in laboratory workflows.