In which process is RNA decoded to synthesize a polypeptide chain?

The process in which RNA is decoded to synthesize a polypeptide chain is known as translation. During translation, the messenger RNA (mRNA) is read by ribosomes, which facilitate the assembly of amino acids into a polypeptide chain according to the sequence of codons present in the mRNA. Each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid, and transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules bring the appropriate amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain. This step is crucial for protein synthesis in all living cells, as proteins play vital roles in cellular function and structure.

In transcription, RNA is synthesized from a DNA template, which involves copying the genetic information from DNA into RNA but does not directly synthesize proteins. Replication refers to the process of duplicating DNA to ensure that each daughter cell receives a complete set of genetic information. Translocation typically refers to the movement of a segment of DNA or RNA, or in a cellular context, it can mean the movement of ribosomes during translation but is not a process that describes the synthesis of polypeptides.