Final answer:
Translation, the process of protein synthesis, involves three main stages: initiation, elongation, and termination. Initiation begins with the binding of a ribosome to an mRNA transcript, and elongation involves the attachment of amino acids to a growing polypeptide chain. Termination occurs when the ribosome reaches a stop codon on the mRNA, resulting in the release of the complete protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
Much like the processes of DNA replication and transcription, translation consists of three main stages: initiation, elongation, and termination. Initiation takes place with the binding of a ribosome to an mRNA transcript. The elongation stage involves the recognition of a tRNA anticodon with the next mRNA codon in the sequence. Once the anticodon and codon sequences are bound (remember, they are complementary base pairs), the tRNA presents its amino acid cargo and the growing polypeptide strand is attached to this next amino acid. This attachment takes place with the assistance of various enzymes and requires energy. The tRNA molecule then releases the mRNA strand, the mRNA strand shifts one codon over in the ribosome, and the next appropriate tRNA arrives with its matching anticodon. This process continues until the final codon on the mRNA is reached which provides a "stop" message that signals termination of translation and triggers the release of the complete, newly synthesized protein. Thus, a gene within the DNA molecule is transcribed into mRNA, which is then translated into a protein product.