Which molecule contains the information needed to make proteins?

The molecule that contains the information needed to make proteins is DNA. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, serves as the genetic blueprint for the development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms. It is composed of sequences of nucleotides, which code for the synthesis of proteins through a process involving transcription and translation.

In transcription, specific segments of DNA are used to produce messenger RNA (mRNA), which carries the genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosomes, the sites of protein synthesis. Therefore, while RNA is crucial for the translation process, it is not the original source of the genetic information; that role belongs to DNA.

Ribosomes and amino acids, while necessary for protein synthesis, do not contain the genetic information themselves. Ribosomes are the cellular machinery that assembles amino acids based on the instructions provided by mRNA. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and must be ordered and linked together in the correct sequence as directed by the mRNA, which is derived from the DNA template.

In summary, DNA is the molecule that holds the information needed to produce the proteins that perform essential functions in biological organisms.