Final answer:
The first step of protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells is transcription, where DNA is transcribed into mRNA in the nucleus before it is processed and transported to the ribosome for translation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step in protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells is known as transcription. During transcription, the DNA sequence of a gene is converted into messenger RNA (mRNA), which contains the information needed to produce a protein. This process occurs in the nucleus of the cell where the DNA is unwound to allow RNA polymerase to read the sequence and synthesize a complementary strand of mRNA. The mRNA strand is then processed by adding a protective 5' cap and a poly-A tail and by splicing out non-coding regions called introns. After these modifications, the mature mRNA is transported out of the nucleus to the ribosome to begin translation, the next phase of protein synthesis.