In a real cell, what does the dna molecule do before it unzips?

I'm not sure if i fully understood your question but i'll go ahead and answer it .. The DNA molecule has the promotor region which is detected by the transcription factors that are responsible to start transcription ( and hence , unzipping the dna strands ) 

The correct answer is in mitochondria, during cellular respiration.

Explanation:

The mitochondria is the place where the energy of the cells is created. ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is the fundamental piece in obtaining energy from the cell in animals, and is produced with the energy that is found in food.

The same thing that happens in plants with chloroplasts, happens in other living beings with mitochondria, where the stored ATP molecules are going to be used to supply energy.

The production of ATP in mitochondria is done through respiration, where oxygen is used to produce energy. Through this breathing process, ATP is produced faster and easier.