Translation

/trænsˈleɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The process by which ribosomes read messenger RNA (mRNA) and synthesize proteins by linking amino acids in the correct sequence. This is the second stage of protein synthesis, following transcription.

Etymology

From Latin 'translatus' meaning 'carried across' or 'transferred.' The biological term emerged in the 1960s as scientists discovered how genetic information is 'translated' from the language of nucleic acids to the language of proteins.

Kelly Says

Translation is like having a molecular translator that reads genetic instructions written in RNA and converts them into protein sentences - except this translator works at lightning speed, making about 20 proteins per second!

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