In a eukaryotic cell, which statement best explains why genomic DNA generally cannot leave the nucleus to be translated in the cytoplasm?

• A. DNA cannot leave the nucleus because it is hydrophobic and therefore cannot pass through the aqueous channel of the nuclear pore complex.
• B. It is packaged as large chromatin/chromosome structures that are not transported through nuclear pore complexes; instead, processed mRNA is exported for translation.
• C. DNA lacks introns, so it cannot be recognized by the nuclear export machinery, whereas mRNA contains introns that act as export signals.
• D. DNA is too small to be retained and therefore rapidly diffuses out of nuclear pore complexes unless it is bound to ribosomes.

Answer: (B)