HOSA Biomedical Laboratory Practice Test 2025 - Free Biomedical Laboratory Practice Questions and Study Guide

Ribonucleic acid, commonly known as RNA, plays a crucial role in protein synthesis, which involves converting genetic instructions encoded in DNA into proteins. In cells, the process begins with transcription, where a specific segment of DNA is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA). This mRNA then carries the genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosomes, where translation occurs.

During translation, the mRNA sequence is read by the ribosomes, and transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring the appropriate amino acids to build the protein according to the sequence specified by the mRNA. Therefore, RNA is essential for this conversion process, making it the macromolecule that directly facilitates the production of proteins based on genetic instructions.

While DNA is the source of genetic information, it does not directly convert these instructions into proteins; rather, it must first be transcribed into RNA. Proteins and amino acids are the end products of this process, with proteins being assembled from chains of amino acids. Thus, ribonucleic acid is the key intermediary that ensures the instructions in DNA lead to the synthesis of proteins.