What is the central dogma of life?

What is the central dogma of life?

• A. DNA is transcribed into mRNA which is then translated into protein
• B. RNA is transcribed into DNA and then translated into protein
• C. Protein is transcribed into DNA, which is then translated into RNA
• D. DNA is translated into protein and then transcribed into RNA

Answer: (A)

Genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. This means DNA is used as a template to make messenger RNA (transcription), and the information in that RNA is then used to assemble a protein (translation). The RNA carries the encoded instructions to the ribosome, where codons are read and amino acids are brought in by tRNA to build a polypeptide that folds into a functional protein. That sequence—DNA transcribed into mRNA, then translated into protein—is why this option is correct. The other ideas reverse or skip steps (RNA to DNA, protein to DNA, or DNA straight to protein and then RNA), which don’t reflect how gene expression normally proceeds. There are exceptions in biology, like reverse transcription in certain viruses, but the standard flow remains DNA -> RNA -> protein.

Genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. This means DNA is used as a template to make messenger RNA (transcription), and the information in that RNA is then used to assemble a protein (translation). The RNA carries the encoded instructions to the ribosome, where codons are read and amino acids are brought in by tRNA to build a polypeptide that folds into a functional protein.

That sequence—DNA transcribed into mRNA, then translated into protein—is why this option is correct. The other ideas reverse or skip steps (RNA to DNA, protein to DNA, or DNA straight to protein and then RNA), which don’t reflect how gene expression normally proceeds. There are exceptions in biology, like reverse transcription in certain viruses, but the standard flow remains DNA -> RNA -> protein.