What is the role of tRNA anticodons during translation?

• A. They carry energy for the ribosome.
• B. They code for proteins directly.
• C. They catalyze peptide bond formation.
• D. They pair with mRNA codons to bring the correct amino acids to the ribosome.

Answer: (D)

tRNA anticodons provide the decoding interface in translation. Each tRNA carries a specific amino acid and has an anticodon that is complementary to a codon on the mRNA. When the anticodon pairs with its codon in the ribosome, the tRNA brings the matching amino acid into position to be added to the growing polypeptide chain by the ribosome’s peptide bond-forming activity. The anticodon itself doesn’t supply energy or catalyze bonds; energy for the process comes from tRNA charging with amino acids and from GTP-driven steps during elongation. The precise pairing ensures the amino acid sequence matches the mRNA. Wobble base pairing at the third codon position adds some flexibility, but the fundamental role remains: they pair with mRNA codons to bring the correct amino acids to the ribosome.