What process is responsible for the synthesis of a protein?

The process responsible for the synthesis of a protein is translation. During translation, the messenger RNA (mRNA) generated from the transcription of DNA is decoded by ribosomes to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain, eventually forming a functional protein. This occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell and involves transfer RNA (tRNA), which brings the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome based on the codon sequence of the mRNA.

Transcription, while related, refers specifically to the process where DNA is converted into mRNA, not the synthesis of protein. Replication pertains to the duplication of DNA prior to cell division and does not involve protein synthesis. Transduction generally refers to the process by which foreign DNA is introduced into a cell via a viral vector, which is unrelated to the direct synthesis of proteins.