Final answer:
Protein synthesis involves two steps: transcription in the nucleus, where DNA is transcribed to mRNA, and translation in the cytoplasm, where mRNA's message is used to create polypeptide chains, eventually forming proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Protein synthesis is a two-step process involving transcription and translation, which are crucial for creating proteins in cells. The first step, known as transcription, involves the unfolding of DNA to produce a messenger-RNA (mRNA) strand within the nucleus. This mRNA carries the genetic instructions out of the nucleus and to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
The second step is translation, in which tRNA and mRNA collaborate within the ribosome to form polypeptide chains from amino acids. This process consists of three phases: initiation, where an initiation complex forms; elongation, where amino acids are added successively; and termination, where the completed polypeptide chain is released. Each protein synthesis step requires a variety of molecules including mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, ribosomes, and enzymatic factors. The energy-intensive mechanism of translation decodes mRNA into specific protein sequences, underscoring proteins' essential role in cellular functions and structure.