 The central dogma is one of biology's most fundamental principles. It states that DNA provides the instructions to make RNA, which in turn directs the production of proteins. Here we'll be focusing on the second part of this process, where RNA guides the creation of proteins, also known as translations. RNA is similar to its better-known cousin, DNA, except for one nucleotide base, which are the chemical units that make up both DNA and RNA. RNA uses the nucleotide uracil instead of thymine, which is found in DNA. RNA is also usually single-stranded, unlike DNA, which is normally double-stranded. A specific type of RNA, called messenger RNA or mRNA, is responsible for providing instructions to make proteins. A group of three RNA bases, known as a codon, encode for specific amino acids, and multiple amino acids strung together make a protein. A triplet makes mathematical sense because it's the smallest number of bases that can produce enough possible combinations, or 64 to be exact, to code for all 20 amino acids as well as codons that signal for translation to stop. With 64 codons more than covers the 20 amino acids, the redundancy in the genetic code means that anywhere from one to six codons will encode for a specific amino acid. And this redundancy is important. Among other things, it provides an extra layer of safety in case the wrong nucleotide base is placed in a particular location, which helps ensure that less mistakes are made during the translation process. On the bottom here are the amino acids shown in their simple single letter form. The actual process of translation occurs through the action of a huge protein RNA complex called the ribosome, which reads codons one by one and incorporates the appropriate amino acid. At the beginning of every mRNA is a stark codon formed by the bases AUG, which codes for the amino acid methionine and tells the ribosome where to start translating. In order to translate a codon into an amino acid, another kind of RNA called a transfer RNA or TRNA, binds an amino acid on one end and matches up with the corresponding codon from the mRNA on the other end. When the TRNA brings the amino acid that matches the next codon in the mRNA, the amino acid attaches to the previous one, which starts the growing chain of amino acids. The process of attaching the amino acid to the previous one in the chain disconnects the TRNA from the amino acid and the naked TRNA leaves the ribosome and the process continues. This process continues until the ribosome hits one of the three stop codons, which signals the ribosome that it should stop translating. Once a stop codon is reached, the resulting amino acid chain is released from the ribosome and usually transported through organelles known as the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. These organelles help fold the amino acid chain into the correct shape as well as complete any additional modification needed to form a complete and functional protein. Meanwhile, the ribosomes are reused to take part in the translation of other mRNA molecules. This elegant, complex process is the basis of every single cellular function in our bodies and helps ensure everything runs according to our molecular instruction code, our DNA.