In the central dogma, what is produced first from DNA?

In the central dogma, what is produced first from DNA?

• A. Protein
• B. DNA
• C. mRNA
• D. tRNA

Answer: (C)

Flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. The first product made from a DNA template during gene expression is RNA. For genes that code proteins, that RNA is messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries the genetic message from DNA to the ribosome where it is translated into a protein. Transcription makes the RNA copy, and then translation uses that RNA to assemble amino acids into a protein. In prokaryotes transcription and translation can happen together, so the mRNA can be used for translation soon after it's made; in eukaryotes the initial transcript is processed into mature mRNA before translation. Protein comes later, and while tRNA and rRNA are also transcribed from DNA, they serve roles in translation rather than carrying the protein-coding message, so they’re not the first product in this flow.

Flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein. The first product made from a DNA template during gene expression is RNA. For genes that code proteins, that RNA is messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries the genetic message from DNA to the ribosome where it is translated into a protein. Transcription makes the RNA copy, and then translation uses that RNA to assemble amino acids into a protein. In prokaryotes transcription and translation can happen together, so the mRNA can be used for translation soon after it's made; in eukaryotes the initial transcript is processed into mature mRNA before translation. Protein comes later, and while tRNA and rRNA are also transcribed from DNA, they serve roles in translation rather than carrying the protein-coding message, so they’re not the first product in this flow.