Final answer:
The statement is true; mRNA serves as a template in the synthesis of cDNA with the help of the enzyme reverse transcriptase, which can synthesize DNA strands complementary to RNA templates. The double-stranded cDNA can be synthesized and processed for further use in research.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that mRNA is used as a template for the initiation of the reaction to make cDNA is true. In the laboratory, the process of making complementary DNA (cDNA) from mRNA involves the enzyme reverse transcriptase. This enzyme is capable of synthesizing a DNA strand that is complementary to the mRNA template. Once the first cDNA strand is synthesized from the mRNA, the same enzyme or another DNA polymerase can synthesize the second DNA strand, creating a double-stranded cDNA molecule. Reverse transcriptase can recognize both DNA and RNA templates, highlighting its role in the construction of cDNA from mRNA. The synthesis follows a similar polymeric activity as DNA polymerases by adding nucleotides to the growing strand in the 5'-to-3' direction. The crucial step of synthesizing the second cDNA strand ensures that the resulting double-stranded cDNA can be further processed, including the removal of any remaining single-stranded portions using an enzyme such as S1 nuclease.