In order to produce many copies of a protein fast, the cell uses
A. DNA replication.
B. intron self-splicing.
C. single-unit ribosomes for high speed translation.
D. codon-anticodon reciprocal duplication.
E. many RNA polymerase molecules to produce mRNA transcripts at the same time.
To answer this question, we need to understand the process by which cells produce proteins. The question asks about the method used by cells to produce many copies of a protein quickly.
A. DNA replication: DNA replication is the process by which DNA molecules are duplicated to create new copies. However, DNA replication is not directly involved in protein synthesis.
B. Intron self-splicing: Introns are non-coding regions within a gene that are removed during RNA processing. Self-splicing refers to the ability of certain RNA molecules to remove their own introns. While this process is important for RNA processing, it is not directly related to the production of many copies of a protein quickly.
C. Single-unit ribosomes for high-speed translation: Ribosomes are cellular structures that facilitate protein synthesis. While ribosomes are involved in the translation of mRNA into protein, the concept of "single-unit ribosomes for high-speed translation" does not accurately describe the process.
D. Codon-anticodon reciprocal duplication: Codons are specific sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA that correspond to specific amino acids. Anticodons are complementary sequences found on tRNA molecules that bind to codons during translation. However, reciprocal duplication of codon-anticodon pairs is not a recognized process in protein synthesis.
E. Many RNA polymerase molecules to produce mRNA transcripts at the same time: This option is the correct answer. During transcription—the process of synthesizing mRNA from a DNA template—RNA polymerase catalyzes the formation of mRNA molecules. The cell can have multiple RNA polymerase molecules simultaneously transcribing the gene, leading to the production of many mRNA transcripts in a short amount of time. These transcripts are subsequently translated into proteins.
Therefore, the correct answer is E. Many RNA polymerase molecules to produce mRNA transcripts at the same time.