How does protein synthesis occur in prokaryotes?

In prokaryotes, transcription and translation is synchronous, with both processes taking place in the cytoplasm itself because of the absence of a nucleus in prokaryotic cells. The joining of a 30s ribosomal subunit and an mRNA at the AUG codon site marks the beginning of protein synthesis. The mature mRNA molecule is produced directly by transcription as prokaryotes do not go through post-transcriptional modifications.