During translation, what is the primary action that takes place?

The primary action that occurs during translation is the decoding of mRNA to produce a protein. In the process of translation, ribosomes read the sequence of codons on the mRNA strand. Each codon specifies an amino acid, and as the ribosome moves along the mRNA, it facilitates the binding of transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules. Each tRNA carries a specific amino acid corresponding to its codon. The ribosome then catalyzes the formation of peptide bonds between the amino acids, resulting in a growing polypeptide chain, which eventually folds into a functional protein.

This process is central to gene expression, as it translates the genetic information encoded in mRNA into a tangible product, the protein, which then plays various roles in the cell and the organism as a whole.