What molecule carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome?

• A. Transfer RNA (tRNA).
• B. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA).
• C. Messenger RNA (mRNA).
• D. DNA.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. Messenger RNA is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions from DNA to the ribosome. During transcription, an mRNA copy is produced from a DNA template and then travels to the ribosome in the cytoplasm. There, the ribosome reads the codons on mRNA and directs the assembly of amino acids into a protein, guided by tRNA molecules that bring each amino acid in according to the codon sequence. The other two RNA types play different roles: tRNA delivers amino acids but doesn’t carry the genetic message, and rRNA forms part of the ribosome and helps with protein synthesis. DNA houses the genetic code but stays where it is, serving as the template for transcription rather than the messenger to the ribosome.