Which molecular process directly follows the transcription of a gene?

The process that directly follows the transcription of a gene is translation. During transcription, the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA) by the enzyme RNA polymerase. Once the RNA is synthesized, it undergoes processing, including the addition of a 5' cap and a poly-A tail, and splicing to remove introns. This mature mRNA is then transported out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm.

Translation is the next step in the gene expression process. In translation, ribosomes read the sequence of the mRNA and synthesize a corresponding polypeptide or protein by linking together amino acids in the order specified by the mRNA. This process is fundamental to the expression of the genetic code that was transcribed from DNA.

The other processes listed are related to genetics and molecular biology but do not follow directly after transcription. Replication refers to the copying of DNA for cell division; mutagenesis involves changes to the DNA sequence that may lead to mutations; and translocation typically refers to the movement of a segment of DNA from one location to another within the genome, which is not a direct follow-up to transcription. Thus, translation is the correct subsequent process that follows transcription in the pathway from gene to protein.