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Question
Prior to protein synthesis, DNA ______.
Options
attracts tRNAs with appropriate amino acids.
must first undergo replication.
contains anticodons that must become codons.
serves as a template for the production of mRNA.
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Solution
Prior to protein synthesis, DNA serves as a template for the production of mRNA.
Explanation:
Before protein synthesis can occur, the genetic information stored in DNA must be converted into a portable format that the cell’s machinery can read. This stage is called transcription, where an enzyme (RNA polymerase) uses the DNA sequence as a template to create a complementary strand of messenger RNA (mRNA). This mRNA then leaves the nucleus and carries the instructions to the ribosomes, where the actual assembly of the protein (translation) takes place. DNA does not need to replicate for protein synthesis, nor does it contain anticodons; rather, it provides the master blueprint for the mRNA “middleman”.
