In gene expression, what is the primary function of messenger RNA (mRNA)?

• A. It transports amino acids to the ribosome during translation.
• B. It carries a copy of genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where it serves as the template for protein synthesis.
• C. It removes introns from pre-mRNA by catalyzing RNA splicing.
• D. It forms the catalytic core of the ribosome and catalyzes peptide bond formation.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the central dogma of molecular biology, which describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.
2. Recognize that messenger RNA (mRNA) is synthesized during transcription as a complementary copy of a gene's DNA sequence.
3. Know that mRNA's primary role is to carry this genetic information from the DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome in the cytoplasm.
4. At the ribosome, mRNA serves as a template that dictates the specific sequence of amino acids to be assembled into a protein during translation.
5. Differentiate mRNA's function from other RNA types: transfer RNA (tRNA) transports amino acids, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) forms the ribosome's core and catalyzes peptide bonds, and spliceosomal RNA is involved in RNA splicing.