Final answer:
The introns of mRNA are removed through splicing, with the correct answer being D) intron, alternative splicing, to form the final mRNA coding sequence for protein synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Once synthesized, the introns of mRNA are removed through splicing, which results in the formation of the coding sequence of a protein. Therefore, the correct answer is D) intron, alternative splicing. Eukaryotic genes are composed of protein-coding sequences called exons and non-coding sequences called introns. Introns do not code for proteins and must be precisely removed from pre-mRNA before protein synthesis can begin. This is done by a complex known as the spliceosome while the pre-mRNA is still in the nucleus. If not removed correctly, the resulting protein would be dysfunctional. Furthermore, the process of alternative splicing allows for the generation of multiple mRNA variants from the same gene, giving rise to different protein products.