Where does translation occur in a cell?

Where does translation occur in a cell?

• A. Cytoplasm
• B. Nucleus
• C. Golgi apparatus
• D. Mitochondria

Answer: (A)

Proteins are made by translating mRNA on ribosomes, and in eukaryotic cells this happens in the cytoplasm. Ribosomes can be free-floating in the cytosol or attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but the site is still the cytoplasm. The nucleus is where transcription and RNA processing occur, so mRNA must be exported to the cytoplasm to be translated. The Golgi apparatus handles post-translational modification and sorting after translation, not the production of proteins. Mitochondria have some of their own ribosomes and can translate a small set of proteins encoded by mitochondrial DNA, but the majority of translation occurs in the cytoplasm.

Proteins are made by translating mRNA on ribosomes, and in eukaryotic cells this happens in the cytoplasm. Ribosomes can be free-floating in the cytosol or attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but the site is still the cytoplasm. The nucleus is where transcription and RNA processing occur, so mRNA must be exported to the cytoplasm to be translated. The Golgi apparatus handles post-translational modification and sorting after translation, not the production of proteins. Mitochondria have some of their own ribosomes and can translate a small set of proteins encoded by mitochondrial DNA, but the majority of translation occurs in the cytoplasm.