Birth and death view of DNA, RNA, and Proteins

•We summarize the mechanism of replication, transcription and translation in prokaryotic and eukaryotic system highlighting the similarities and differences.•We have elucidated the remarkable regulatory mechanisms responsible for the synthesis of DNA, RNA and proteins.•Different pathways responsible for the degradation of these macromolecules are elaborated. The potential of cells to guide their genome and configure genes to express at a given time and in response to specific stimuli is pivotal to regulate cellular processes such as tissue differentiation, organogenesis, organismal development, homeostasis, and disease. In this review, we focus on the diverse mechanisms involved in DNA replication and its degradation, mRNA synthesis, and associated regulation such as RNA capping, splicing, tailing, and export. mRNA turnover including Decapping, deadenylation, RNA interference, and Nonsense mediated mRNA decay followed by protein translation, post-translational modification, and protein turnover. We highlight recent advances in understanding the complex series of molecular mechanisms responsible for the remarkable cellular regulatory mechanisms.