Codons on the mRNA move through a ribosome, and are translated into amino acids.

The interpreters are tRNA molecules, each type with an anticodon at one end and a corresponding amino acid at the other end.

• Initiation occurs when the ribosome reads a start codon.

• Elongation produces a polypeptide by the formation of peptide bonds between amino acids.

• Termination occurs when the ribosome reads a stop codon.