Final answer:
mRNA is single-stranded and is transcribed from DNA to serve as a template for protein synthesis in a process called translation. It does not become double-stranded before translation; doing so would inhibit its function in protein synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct understanding of mRNA in the context of translation is that it is a single-stranded transcript which is derived from DNA. It does not become double-stranded before translation; instead, it remains single-stranded. It's essential for mRNA to be single-stranded because during translation, the ribosome reads the mRNA sequence in order to synthesize proteins, with transfer RNA (tRNA) bringing in the specific amino acids that match the codons on the mRNA strand.
The ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a component of the ribosome itself, which provides the site where translation occurs. MicroRNA (miRNA) plays a role in regulating the expression of mRNA, influencing which proteins are produced.
In eukaryotic cells, pre-mRNA undergoes various processing steps such as the addition of a 5' cap and a 3' poly-A tail, and splicing to remove introns. These modifications are necessary for the stability of the mRNA and for it to be exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm for translation. If mRNA were double-stranded, it would not be able to be read by the ribosomes, thus preventing protein synthesis.