Which molecule carries the genetic code from the nucleus to the ribosome?

The correct answer is mRNA, or messenger RNA. This molecule plays a crucial role in the process of protein synthesis. Inside the cell nucleus, DNA holds the genetic information necessary for building proteins. However, DNA cannot leave the nucleus, so it needs a messenger to convey its instructions to the ribosome, which is the site of protein synthesis in the cytoplasm.

mRNA is synthesized during the process of transcription, where a particular segment of DNA is copied into RNA. Once formed, mRNA carries the genetic code, specifically the sequence of nucleotides that corresponds to amino acids, from the nucleus to the ribosome. At the ribosome, the mRNA is translated into a specific protein as the ribosome decodes the information it carries.

Other molecules, such as tRNA (transfer RNA) and rRNA (ribosomal RNA), play different but essential roles in translation. tRNA brings the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome in accordance with the codons on the mRNA, while rRNA helps form the ribosome's structure and facilitates the translation process. However, none of these carry the genetic code from the nucleus to the ribosome like mRNA does.