What are Ribosomes?

Ribosomes - like tiny factories in the cell. They make proteins that perform all sorts of functions for the cell's operation.

Ribosomes can be found in the cytoplasm or attached to a membrane.

Ribosomes purpose

• Main job of the ribosome:

  • make proteins for the cell.

• Hundreds of proteins need to be made for the cell

  • ribosome needs instructions on how to make each protein

    
    

• Instructions come from nucleus in the form of messenger RNA

  
  

  
  

Ribosome Structure

• Ribosome -Two main components:

  • large subunit

  • small subunit.

• These two units come together when ribosome is ready to make a new protein

• Both sub-units consist of:

  • strands of RNA

  • various proteins.

RNA

​DNA is the blueprint of the cell and RNA is an exact copy of DNA

• RNA : ribonucleic acid

• When a cell needs a protein it activates a gene that makes copies of DNA to create messenger mRNA

RNA

• DNA is the blueprint of the cell RNA is an exact copy of DNA

• RNA stands for ribonucleic acid

• When the cell needs certain protein it activates a gene that copies multiple copies of DNA to create messenger mRNA or mRNA