Final answer:
The image models protein synthesis, which entails transcription (DNA to mRNA process with splicing) and translation (mRNA to protein process using ribosomes). Protein synthesis is vital to gene expression and cellular differentiation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Process of Protein Synthesis
The image is modeling the process of protein synthesis, which includes two main phases: transcription and translation. Transcription starts with the DNA in the nucleus, where a gene is transcribed into RNA. During transcription, mRNA (messenger RNA) is synthesized based on the DNA template. Splicing occurs as a part of mRNA processing to remove introns and join exons, creating a mature mRNA transcript. The processed mRNA then exits the nucleus and enters the cytoplasm where translation takes place. Translation involves ribosomes reading the mRNA sequence and synthesizing the corresponding protein by linking amino acids in the correct order.
Transcription
Transcription begins when RNA polymerase binds to a promoter region on the DNA and unwinds the DNA strand. It then uses one of the DNA strands as a template to synthesize a pre-mRNA molecule, which then undergoes splicing to remove non-coding sequences.
Translation
During translation, ribosomes facilitate the decoding of the mRNA sequence into a polypeptide chain. tRNA (transfer RNA) molecules bring amino acids to the ribosome, which adds them to the growing protein chain in the correct sequence dictated by the mRNA codons.
This entire process not only leads to protein creation but also contributes to gene expression and cell differentiation, as proteins play a key role in determining the function and characteristics of a cell.