OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

What is the process of translation primarily focused on?

1. Decoding mRNA to synthesize proteins

2. Transcribing DNA into RNA

3. Replication of DNA strands

4. Synthesis of DNA from RNA

The correct answer is: Decoding mRNA to synthesize proteins

The process of translation is primarily focused on decoding messenger RNA (mRNA) to synthesize proteins. During translation, the information carried by mRNA, which is transcribed from DNA, is read in sets of three nucleotide bases called codons. Each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid, the building blocks of proteins. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome, where the mRNA is located. This assembly line of amino acids continues until a complete protein is formed, ultimately influencing countless biological functions and processes within the organism. In contrast, transcribing DNA into RNA refers to the process of transcription, which occurs prior to translation and is centered around creating an RNA copy of a segment of DNA. The replication of DNA strands is a different process entirely, focused on producing two identical copies of a DNA molecule before cell division. Lastly, the synthesis of DNA from RNA is not a standard biological process and does not occur naturally in cells; it would require reverse transcription, a process utilized by certain viruses but not involved in the typical flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.