Final answer:
After mRNA is synthesized through transcription, it is translated into protein. The mRNA is read by ribosomes, and with the help of tRNA, a polypeptide chain is formed which eventually folds into a functional protein. This translation process follows the Central Dogma of molecular biology.
Step-by-step explanation:
After mRNA is made, it is generally translated to protein. This process is known as translation, which occurs after the mRNA is synthesized from DNA in a process called transcription. During translation, the mRNA interacts with ribosomes and tRNA molecules, which help translate the genetic code into a polypeptide chain that will fold into a functional protein.
The flow of genetic information within a cell generally follows the Central Dogma of molecular biology: DNA is transcribed to mRNA, which is then translated into protein. In essence, the mRNA carries a message from the DNA to the ribosome, where the encoded protein is synthesized.
Translation happens in the cytoplasm either on free ribosomes or those attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Each three-nucleotide sequence of mRNA, called a codon, corresponds to a specific amino acid. As the ribosome reads through the mRNA, tRNA molecules bring the appropriate amino acids, which are linked together to form a polypeptide chain that later folds into a functional protein.