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mRNA (messenger RNA) plays a central role in protein synthesis by carrying genetic information from a gene to the ribosome. It is produced during transcription, where RNA polymerase copies DNA into a primary transcript (pre-mRNA). In eukaryotes, pre-mRNA is processed—most notably by splicing (removing introns and joining exons), 5' cap addition, and 3' polyadenylation—to form mature mRNA, which is then exported to the cytoplasm for translation. During translation, the ribosome reads mRNA codons (triplets of nucleotides) and assembles a protein using amino acids supplied by transfer RNA (tRNA). Codons specify amino acids, while stop codons terminate synthesis. mRNA structure also influences translation: the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) regulate mRNA stability, localization, and translational efficiency, and the poly(A) tail helps protect mRNA from degradation and supports translation. In prokaryotes, transcription and translation can be coupled because there is no nucleus, allowing ribosomes to begin translation while mRNA is still being made.
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