In what process is mRNA synthesized from a DNA template?

The process in which mRNA is synthesized from a DNA template is known as transcription. During transcription, the DNA double helix unwinds, and one of the strands, called the template strand, serves as a guide for the synthesis of RNA. RNA polymerase, the enzyme responsible for this process, binds to the promoter region of the gene on the DNA and begins to construct a complementary RNA strand by adding ribonucleotides. As the RNA polymerase moves along the DNA, it elongates the mRNA strand until it reaches a termination signal, at which point the newly formed mRNA is released. This process is crucial in the expression of genes, leading to the production of proteins based on the encoded instructions in DNA.

Other processes mentioned in the choices serve different functions: replication pertains to the copying of DNA, translation involves the synthesis of proteins from mRNA, and translocation refers to the movement of ribosomes along mRNA during protein synthesis. Thus, the key role of transcription in synthesizing mRNA from a DNA template is foundational to the flow of genetic information within the cell.