Which statement best describes the central dogma?

Which statement best describes the central dogma?

• A. DNA is transcribed to RNA in the nucleus, RNA carries the message to the cytoplasm where ribosomes translate it into protein.
• B. Proteins are transcribed into DNA, which is then translated into RNA.
• C. RNA is replicated into DNA, which directs protein synthesis in mitochondria.
• D. Lipid signals regulate gene expression.

Answer: (A)

The central idea is that genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. In eukaryotic cells, transcription copies DNA into RNA in the nucleus, and the resulting RNA molecule—usually messenger RNA—carries the message to the cytoplasm, where ribosomes translate it into a protein. This description matches the standard flow of information: DNA → RNA → protein, with transcription in the nucleus and translation in the cytoplasm. The other scenarios describe processes that either reverse the direction of information flow or involve regulatory signals that don’t represent how genetic information is typically used to build proteins. Small exceptions exist (like reverse transcription in certain viruses), but the stated path is the canonical description.

The central idea is that genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein. In eukaryotic cells, transcription copies DNA into RNA in the nucleus, and the resulting RNA molecule—usually messenger RNA—carries the message to the cytoplasm, where ribosomes translate it into a protein. This description matches the standard flow of information: DNA → RNA → protein, with transcription in the nucleus and translation in the cytoplasm. The other scenarios describe processes that either reverse the direction of information flow or involve regulatory signals that don’t represent how genetic information is typically used to build proteins. Small exceptions exist (like reverse transcription in certain viruses), but the stated path is the canonical description.