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This was the original article. Probably fine to be this short, not even sure if it's needed, but it is incorrect. The coding is the complement to the template.

"The coding strand is basically a template strand that is used in the coding of proteins. Also known as the (messenger strand)."

I'm not familiar with the term 'messenger strand', but if somebody knows which strand it refers to, they're welcome to add it to the 'Alternative Terms for Strands' section.

Probably longer and more detailed than is warranted (like this talk page is getting) so if anyone wants to streamline it, or move parts of it, feel free. Jenks 23:19, 16 May 2005 (UTC)Reply

Uh, see page 129 of Genes IX here [1] - article incorrect about coding strand's nature (but poster above correct). I seem to have made a little bit of a mess of the referencing (attempting to get it to this Google Book copy of Genes IX).TrentandtheAcrobats (talk) 10:10, 7 January 2008 (UTC)Reply

The RNA polymerase, and therefore the transcription bubble, travels along the coding strand in the 3' to 5' direction, and along the noncoding strand in the opposite, 5' to 3', direction.

shouldn't it be:

The RNA polymerase, and therefore the transcription bubble, travels along the coding strand in the 5' to 3' direction, and along the noncoding strand in the opposite, 3' to 5', direction.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 147.8.181.102 (talk) 06:49, 15 April 2008 (UTC)Reply 

It looks like there isn't a universal consensus on which pairing is correct. I prefer the terminology "mRNA-like" and "non-mRNA-like" (where mRNA-like refers to the strand in which the sequence is exactly the same, except the thymines are replaced with uracils) even though it's clumsy because its very clear which one correlates with which. Can we clear this up or add a note about it being confusing?

Here's the link that suggests it isn't a consensus: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/~smaloy/MicrobialGenetics/topics/chroms-genes-prots/temp-strand.html

Here's a link that thinks the template means "mRNA-like" http://education.seattlepi.com/relationships-between-coding-noncoding-strands-dna-6880.html

And here's a link that thinks the template means "non-mRNA-like" http://bio100.class.uic.edu/lecturesf04am/lect14.htm

These are only the first few hits in Google at the time