What is the function of the start codon of an mRNA sequence? A. The start codon protects the mRNA from being degraded. B. The start codon acts as a checkpoint in the eukaryotic cell cycle. C. The start codon signals for the ribosome to release the mRNA sequence. D. The start codon signals for the ribosome to begin assembling amino acids at that point in the mRNA sequence. Mark for review (Will be highlighted on the review page)