What molecule serves as the genetic blueprint for constructing proteins?

The molecule that serves as the genetic blueprint for constructing proteins is DNA. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, contains the instructions necessary for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all living organisms. It is organized into genes, which are specific sequences of nucleotides that encode the information for making proteins.

During the process of gene expression, DNA is first transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA), which then carries the encoded information from the DNA in the nucleus to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm, where proteins are synthesized. While mRNA plays a crucial role in conveying the genetic code from DNA to the ribosomes, it is the DNA itself that serves as the original template from which all genetic information is derived.

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is primarily known as the energy currency of the cell and is not involved in storing genetic information, while RNA refers to a group of nucleic acids and includes mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA, each of which has specific functions in the process of protein synthesis but does not serve as the genetic blueprint itself. Therefore, DNA is correctly identified as the fundamental molecule that carries the genetic instructions necessary for the creation of proteins.