What is the role of ribosomes in protein synthesis?

Ribosomes play a crucial role in the process of protein synthesis, specifically during translation. They act as the molecular machinery that facilitates the translation of messenger RNA (mRNA) into polypeptide chains, which eventually fold into functional proteins. The ribosome reads the sequence of codons (three-nucleotide sequences) on the mRNA strand and, in conjunction with transfer RNA (tRNA), assembles the corresponding amino acids in the correct order to form a protein.

This process highlights the ribosome's essential function as the site of translation, where the genetic information encoded in mRNA is interpreted and converted into a specific sequence of amino acids, thus forming a protein. The accuracy and efficiency of this conversion are fundamental for the proper expression of genes and the overall functioning of the cell.

Other options do not accurately describe the ribosome's role in protein synthesis: duplicating DNA strands pertains to DNA replication, packaging proteins is typically a function of the Golgi apparatus, and storing genetic information is the role of DNA or RNA, rather than ribosomes.