During mRNA maturation, which segment is removed?

During mRNA maturation, introns are the segments that are removed from the pre-mRNA transcript. This process, known as splicing, is crucial because it allows the remaining segments, called exons, to be joined together to form a mature mRNA molecule that can be translated into protein. Introns are non-coding regions of the gene and do not contribute to the final protein product. Their removal ensures that the mRNA only contains the coding sequences necessary for protein synthesis, which is essential for proper gene expression and function.

In the context of mRNA, codons are part of the exons and are the sequences that are ultimately translated into amino acids. Amino acids themselves are not segments of the mRNA; rather, they are the building blocks of the protein that is synthesized based on the mRNA sequence. This differentiation between introns, exons, and the final protein product is key to understanding the processes of gene expression and mRNA processing.