Translation takes place in the nucleus.
Select one:
True
False
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is False.
Translation occurs in the cytoplasm, not the nucleus. The process of translation is the synthesis of proteins from messenger RNA (mRNA) templates. It takes place on ribosomes, which can either be floating freely in the cytoplasm or attached to the endoplasmic reticulum, forming the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
The process of translation starts when mRNA, which was transcribed in the nucleus from DNA, exits the nucleus and enters the cytoplasm. The mRNA sequence is then translated into a corresponding amino acid sequence with the help of ribosomes and transfer RNA (tRNA). Ribosomes read the mRNA in sets of three nucleotides called codons, each specifying a particular amino acid. tRNA molecules bring the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome, and the ribosome links them together to form a polypeptide chain. This chain eventually folds into a functional protein.
In contrast, transcription, which is the process of making mRNA from a DNA template, happens in the nucleus. The mRNA is then processed and transported out of the nucleus to the cytoplasm for translation. Therefore, while transcription occurs in the nucleus, translation happens in the cytoplasm.