Which process is essential for protein synthesis?

Protein synthesis is a fundamental biological process that involves the creation of proteins from amino acids, and it occurs in two key stages: transcription and translation. Translation specifically refers to the process where the messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries genetic information from DNA, is decoded by ribosomes to synthesize proteins. It involves the assembly of amino acids in the order specified by the mRNA sequence, leading to the formation of a polypeptide chain that will eventually fold into a functional protein.

While transcription, the first process in protein synthesis where DNA is transcribed into mRNA, is also essential, translation is the crucial phase where the actual synthesis of the protein occurs. Therefore, translation is key to the formation of proteins from the genetic instructions carried by mRNA, making it essential for the overall process of protein synthesis.

Replication refers to the process of copying DNA and is fundamental for cell division, while denaturation involves the alteration of a protein's structure and function due to changes in environmental conditions (like temperature or pH) and does not play a direct role in the synthesis of proteins. Thus, translation is rightly identified as the critical step in synthesizing proteins from the genetic information.