Final answer:
In eukaryotes, A) introns must be spliced out of pre-mRNA before translation can occur. Introns are non-coding regions, and their removal is essential for the formation of functional proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The component that must be removed from an mRNA molecule before it can be translated in eukaryotes is the intron. Eukaryotic genes consist of both exons, which are coding sequences, and introns, which are non-coding sequences. Introns do not encode for proteins and are spliced out of the pre-mRNA during the RNA processing stage in the nucleus before the mRNA is transported to the cytoplasm for translation. The accurate removal and splicing of these introns are crucial for the creation of functional proteins. Failure to precisely excise introns can lead to a shift in the reading frame, resulting in nonfunctional proteins.