Final answer:
The process where a messenger RNA (mRNA) strand is used to build a protein is called translation. This biological mechanism involves turning the sequence of nucleotides on mRNA into a chain of amino acids, with the help of various types of RNA in a process facilitated by the ribosome.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of taking the information on a strand of messenger RNA (mRNA) and building an amino acid chain that will become all or part of a protein molecule is called translation. During translation, ribosomes read the genetic information inscribed on the mRNA strand and use that information to synthesize a chain of amino acids. This process involves not just the mRNA, but also other types of RNA like tRNA and rRNA, which respectively help in bringing the correct amino acids and catalyzing peptide bond formation between amino acids. The interactions result in a polypeptide chain that may undergo additional processing to become a functional protein.
Other processes closely related to translation include transcription, in which DNA is transcribed to produce mRNA, and replication, the process of copying DNA. However, translation is distinct in that it directly involves converting the code on mRNA into an amino acid sequence. Mutations can affect this process as they are random changes in the sequence of bases in DNA that can result in changes in the protein produced.