Final answer:
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a copy of DNA, holding the blueprint for how to make a protein. Once mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus, it carries these instructions to the cytoplasm, where ribosomes read the message to synthesize the specified protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a crucial molecule in the process of gene expression and protein synthesis. To answer the question: mRNA is a copy of DNA, which is the instructions for how to make a protein. This means the correct answer is A. DNA; protein.
mRNA is synthesized as a complementary strand of a section of DNA, which carries the information necessary for synthesizing the proteins a cell needs. Once produced, mRNA carries these genetic instructions from the nucleus, where the DNA resides, to the cytoplasm. Here, the message is read by ribosomes to assemble the amino acids in the correct sequence to create a specific protein.
This process of creating a protein based on the instructions carried by mRNA is known as translation. Important to note is that mRNA carries the genetic information from the DNA to the ribosome outside of the nucleus, enabling protein synthesis to occur.