Question

Making protein is like cooking food. If DNA is comparable to a recipe book, then MRNA would

Answer 1

mRNA serves as a disposable photocopy of a specific section of DNA, providing instructions for the synthesis of proteins.

Step-by-step explanation:

If DNA is comparable to a recipe book, then mRNA (messenger RNA) would be like a disposable photocopy of a specific recipe from that book. The central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow of genetic information, from DNA to RNA to protein. DNA contains the complete library of instructions for making proteins. However, each cell only uses a portion of these instructions at any given time. Therefore, when a protein needs to be made, the relevant section of the DNA sequence is copied into mRNA, which then travels out of the nucleus to the ribosomes where proteins are assembled.

This process is crucial because gene expression and protein synthesis are part of the same molecular process. The synthesis of proteins is a highly energy-consuming process and proteins are fundamental for the structure and function of the cell. The mRNA plays a pivotal role in providing the specific template that dictates the order in which amino acids are to be assembled into a protein.

In summary, mRNA acts as a transitory, working copy of a particular gene that contains instructions for a cell's protein-making machinery.

Answer 2

In the process of protein synthesis, mRNA acts as a disposable photocopy of a specific recipe from the DNA 'recipe book', which is then used by ribosomes to make a particular protein through translation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question focuses on the role of mRNA (messenger RNA) in the process of protein synthesis. The analogy suggests that if DNA is like a recipe book that contains the instructions for making all the proteins in a cell, then mRNA would be comparable to a disposable photocopy of a specific recipe from that book.

When a particular protein is needed by a cell, the relevant section of DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which is then used as a template by ribosomes to assemble amino acids in the correct order to form that protein. This process is called translation and illustrates the central dogma of molecular biology, where the information flow goes from DNA to mRNA to protein.