DNA Strands for Transcription and Translation Practice Rules that apply to every strand below: - Each strand is written left to right in the direction stated for it. - Translation always begins at the first codon shown, which is always AUG, and continues codon by codon until the stop codon shown. The stop codon itself does not add an amino acid to the protein. - DNA base pairing: A pairs with T, and C pairs with G. - Transcription base pairing (DNA template strand to mRNA): template A gives mRNA U, template T gives mRNA A, template C gives mRNA G, and template G gives mRNA C. - A coding (sense) strand has the same base sequence as the mRNA made from it, except the coding strand has T everywhere the mRNA has U. Strand 1: coding (sense) strand, given 5' to 3' ATGGGCTATTGA Strand 2: template strand, given 3' to 5' TACAGTGTAATT Strand 3: coding (sense) strand, given 5' to 3' ATGGTTGATCGTTGGTAG