Michael J Kirchner's home page Microbiology 411 Bacterial Genetics Translation Translation is the process by which the genetic information encoded on mRNA during transcription is used to direct the synthesis of a polypeptide. The flow of genetic information is from DNA to RNA to protein. All cells must produce a constant supply of proteins in order to carry out their life processes.
Proteins do most of the work of the cell in the form of enzymes.
In addition, proteins make up much of the structure of the cell. Proteins are made up of chains of the 20 different amino acids joined together by peptide bonds with the amino group of one amino acid bound to the carboxyl group of another. These polypeptides are synthesized in the amino to carboxyl direction by the sequential addition of amino acids to the carboxyl end of the growing peptide chain. Messenger RNA directs protein synthesis. It carries the instructions for the synthesis of a protein from the DNA to a ribosome where the polypeptide is assembled.