An overview of the main events in translation. Following the activation of amino acids by acylation to tRNAs (step 1), translation initiates with the assembly of mRNA and aminoacylated tRNA on the small ribosomal subunit, followed by joining with the large subunit to form an active ribosome (step 2). Polypeptide elongation occurs in successive cycles of aminoacyl-tRNA binding and peptide bond formation in the order directed by the genetic code in the mRNA (step 3). Translation stops when the ribosome encounters a stop codon in the mRNA, leading to release of the mRNA and dissociation of the ribosome into its two subunits (step 4); the polypeptide folds during or immediately following translation to form a functional protein (step 5).