1. Transcription: Inside the nucleus, DNA contains the genetic code for making proteins. This code is transcribed into mRNA.
2. mRNA Processing: The mRNA is modified and processed before it leaves the nucleus. This includes adding a cap and tail, and removing non-coding regions (introns).
3. Export: The processed mRNA is transported out of the nucleus through nuclear pores and into the cytoplasm.
4. Translation: The mRNA reaches a ribosome in the cytoplasm. Here, the code within the mRNA is translated into a sequence of amino acids.
5. Protein Synthesis: The ribosome moves along the mRNA, reading the codons (groups of three nucleotides) and assembling the corresponding amino acids into a polypeptide chain.
Essentially, the mRNA acts as a messenger, carrying the genetic instructions from the DNA in the nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm, where the instructions are used to build proteins.
