Question

2.1.2 quiz: protein synthesis
question 10 of 10
what happens during translation?
a. mrna carries the genetic code to a ribosome. the code is used to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain.
b. trna unwinds a section of dna to allow rna polymerase to copy a gene.
c. rrna carries the genetic code to a ribosome. the code is used to assemble nucleotides into a strand of mrna.
d. rna polymerase unwinds a section of dna. the dna is used as a template to build a strand of mrna.

Explanation:

Translation is the process where mRNA (messenger RNA) takes the genetic code (from DNA via transcription) to the ribosome. At the ribosome, this code (in the form of codons on mRNA) is read. tRNA (transfer RNA) brings the appropriate amino acids based on the codons. The amino acids are then linked together to form a polypeptide chain (which will fold into a protein).

• Option B is incorrect as tRNA's role is to bring amino acids, not unwind DNA. RNA polymerase is involved in transcription (not translation).
• Option C is wrong because nucleotides are assembled into mRNA during transcription (not translation), and rRNA (ribosomal RNA) is part of the ribosome structure, not for carrying the code to assemble nucleotides into mRNA.
• Option D describes transcription (where RNA polymerase uses DNA as a template to make mRNA), not translation.

Answer:

A. mRNA carries the genetic code to a ribosome. The code is used to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain.