A2 Genetic Control of Proteins and Control of Gene Expression Practice Test

Translation is the process of turning mRNA into a protein, and the ribosome is the machine that does this. Ribosomes read the genetic code on mRNA and, with transfer RNA delivering amino acids, assemble them in the order dictated by the mRNA to form a polypeptide. They can be free-floating in the cytosol or attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotes, depending on the protein being produced. The nucleus houses DNA and is where transcription occurs, not translation. The Golgi apparatus modifies and ships proteins, and lysosomes break down waste. So the organelle directly responsible for translation is the ribosome.