What is the Central Dogma of molecular biology?

What is the Central Dogma of molecular biology?

• A. RNA is used to make DNA, which supports replication.
• B. DNA is used to make RNA, which supports protein synthesis.
• C. Proteins are used to make DNA.
• D. RNA replicates DNA directly.

Answer: (B)

The flow of genetic information is DNA to RNA to protein. DNA serves as the template for transcription, producing RNA, and the RNA sequence is then used to build proteins during translation. This captures why DNA being used to make RNA, which then directs protein synthesis, is the correct description of the Central Dogma. While replication involves copying DNA and is essential for cell division, it’s not the information flow described by the dogma. There are occasional exceptions, like reverse transcription in some viruses, where RNA is converted back to DNA, but the standard path remains DNA → RNA → protein.

The flow of genetic information is DNA to RNA to protein. DNA serves as the template for transcription, producing RNA, and the RNA sequence is then used to build proteins during translation. This captures why DNA being used to make RNA, which then directs protein synthesis, is the correct description of the Central Dogma. While replication involves copying DNA and is essential for cell division, it’s not the information flow described by the dogma. There are occasional exceptions, like reverse transcription in some viruses, where RNA is converted back to DNA, but the standard path remains DNA → RNA → protein.