Which process synthesizes proteins in cells?

• A. Replication
• B. Translation
• C. Transcription
• D. Metabolism

Answer: (B)

The process that synthesizes proteins in cells is translation. Translation is the stage in gene expression where the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA) is read by ribosomes to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain, forming a protein. This process occurs in the cytoplasm and involves various components, including ribosomal RNA (rRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and a variety of enzymes.

During translation, the ribosome facilitates the binding of tRNA molecules, which each carry specific amino acids, to the corresponding codon on the mRNA strand. As the ribosome moves along the mRNA, the amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds, eventually forming a complete protein that can carry out specific functions within the cell.

While replication, transcription, and metabolism are also vital biological processes, they do not directly involve the synthesis of proteins. Replication refers to the copying of DNA, transcription is the conversion of DNA to RNA, and metabolism encompasses all the chemical reactions that occur within a cell to maintain life, including the breakdown of molecules to release energy, but does not specifically define the protein synthesis process.