Which structure is primarily involved in protein synthesis?

Ribosomes are the key structures involved in protein synthesis. These small, complex molecular machines are found either floating freely in the cytoplasm or attached to the endoplasmic reticulum, forming what is known as rough ER. Ribosomes translate the genetic instructions carried by messenger RNA (mRNA) to assemble amino acids into polypeptide chains, eventually folding to become functional proteins.

The process begins when mRNA, which contains the code for a specific protein, binds to a ribosome. The ribosome then reads the sequence of the mRNA and, with the help of transfer RNA (tRNA), adds the corresponding amino acids in the correct order to form a polypeptide chain. This chain undergoes further modifications and folding, which are essential for the protein to achieve its active, functional form.

While the Golgi apparatus, vacuoles, and lysosomes have important roles in the cell, they are not directly involved in the synthesis of proteins. The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for secretion or use within the cell, vacuoles serve as storage organelles, and lysosomes contain enzymes for digestion of cellular waste. None of these structures participate in the actual process of assembling proteins from amino acids, which is the