Which component of protein synthesis reads the code on the mRNA?

The component of protein synthesis that reads the code on the mRNA is transfer RNA (tRNA). During the process of translation, tRNA molecules play a crucial role by bringing the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome, where proteins are synthesized. Each tRNA has an anticodon that is complementary to the codons on the mRNA strand. As the ribosome moves along the mRNA, each codon is matched with its corresponding tRNA molecule, allowing the correct amino acids to be linked together in the growing polypeptide chain, ultimately leading to protein formation.

In the context of the other options: messenger RNA (mRNA) serves as the template that carries genetic information from DNA and does not participate in reading the code; ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a structural component of ribosomes and assists in the translation process but does not directly read the mRNA code; and DNA serves as the source of the genetic code but is not involved in the process of reading the mRNA during protein synthesis.

Thus, tRNA is the essential molecule that directly interprets the sequence of nucleotides in mRNA and brings the corresponding amino acids necessary for protein synthesis.