Translation involves which of the following?

• A. Transcribing DNA into RNA.
• B. The synthesis of a polypeptide by ribosomes using mRNA as a template.
• C. DNA is copied to produce an identical DNA molecule.
• D. Proteins are broken down into amino acids.

Answer: (B)

Translation is the process by which ribosomes read the code in messenger RNA and assemble a protein by linking amino acids. The ribosome moves along the mRNA, using each codon as a template to recruit the correct amino acid with help from transfer RNA. As amino acids are added, peptide bonds form and the polypeptide chain grows. This relies on the mRNA sequence as the guide for the order of amino acids, turning the nucleotide language into the protein language. This is separate from transcription, which makes RNA from DNA, and from DNA replication, which copies DNA. It’s also not about breaking proteins down. The result is a new polypeptide chain—the protein—made at the ribosome using mRNA as a template.