Protein synthesis - illustration

An overview of transcription and translation. This drawing provides a graphic overview of the many steps involved in transcription and translation. Within the nucleus of the cell (light blue), genes (DNA, dark blue) are transcribed into RNA. This RNA molecule is then subject to post-transcriptional modification and control, resulting in a mature mRNA molecule (red) that is then transported out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm (peach), where it undergoes translation into a protein. mRNA molecules are translated by ribosomes (purple) that match the three-base codons of the mRNA molecule to the three-base anti-codons of the appropriate tRNA molecules. These newly synthesized proteins (black) are often further modified, such as by binding to an effector molecule (orange), to become fully active.

Illustration courtesy of National Center for Biotechnology Information.