What is the function of messenger RNA (mRNA) during protein synthesis?

Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a critical role in protein synthesis by carrying genetic information from DNA to the ribosome. This process begins with transcription, where a segment of DNA is copied into mRNA. The resulting mRNA strand contains the codons that dictate the sequence of amino acids in the protein being synthesized.

Once the mRNA is formed, it exits the nucleus and travels to the ribosome, the cellular machinery responsible for translating the genetic code into a functional protein. At the ribosome, the mRNA serves as a template that dictates the arrangement of amino acids, which are facilitated by transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules. The ribosome reads the mRNA in sets of three nucleotides (codons), each corresponding to a specific amino acid, enabling the assembly of a polypeptide chain.

This fundamental role of mRNA in conveying the necessary instructions for protein construction highlights its importance in gene expression and regulation, distinguishing it as a key component in the overall process of protein synthesis.