What is the primary function of mRNA?

The primary function of mRNA, or messenger RNA, is to carry genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where proteins are synthesized. During the process of transcription, mRNA is synthesized from a DNA template in the nucleus. This mRNA strand then travels to the ribosome, the cellular machinery that translates the mRNA sequence into a specific protein.

While synthesizing proteins is a crucial part of the overall process, it is specifically the role of mRNA to act as the intermediary that conveys the instructions encoded in the DNA to the ribosome for translation. This distinction is important, as mRNA plays a critical and direct role in the flow of genetic information within the cell, facilitating the translation of that information into functional proteins. Other options, such as replicating DNA or repairing it, do not pertain to mRNA's function but instead involve other types of molecules and processes within the cell.