Now the problem is ourselves don't actually use that code directly to form the protein. So we don't simply form proteins from DNA. What must happen is we have to first translate or transcribe that genetic code into a code that is readable and can be understood by that cell and that is where RNA comes into play. So RNA molecules are used to basically transcribe the information stored in DNA into a form that can be understood and read by that cell. So to build the protein we take the DNA, we essentially transcribe that information from the DNA into the RNA and now the RNA is used directly to form the proteins in the ribosomes. Now the other function of DNA is to actually pass down the genetic information from one individual to the offspring.