Final answer:
Translation begins when the small ribosomal subunit binds to the mRNA, and initiation factors help it scan along until it identifies the start codon. The anticodon of the initiator tRNA then hydrogen bonds to the start codon, and finally, the large subunit of the ribosome binds, lining up so that the initiator tRNA is in the P site.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mRNA binds to a ribosome through a process called translation. Translation begins when the small ribosomal subunit binds to the mRNA, and initiation factors help it scan along until it identifies the start codon. The anticodon of the initiator tRNA then hydrogen bonds to the start codon, and finally, the large subunit of the ribosome binds, lining up so that the initiator tRNA is in the P site. This completes the initiation of translation.