During the elongation phase of translation, what happens?

During the elongation phase of translation, the primary activity is the sequential addition of amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain. This process involves the ribosome facilitating the binding of transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules to the mRNA template. Each tRNA carries a specific amino acid corresponding to the codon on the mRNA, and as each tRNA binds to the ribosome, the ribosome catalyzes the formation of peptide bonds between the amino acids. As a result, the polypeptide chain continues to lengthen one amino acid at a time as the ribosome moves along the mRNA. This phase is essential for building the proteins that are necessary for various cellular functions.

The other options relate to different stages or processes of translation. The assembly of translational components occurs prior to elongation, during the initiation phase. The release of tRNA molecules takes place after their amino acids have been added to the chain. Lastly, the recognition of the stop codon happens during the termination phase, signaling the end of polypeptide synthesis and prompting disassembly of the translation complex.