Process
Translation
Ribosomes read messenger RNA three bases at a time and join the matching amino acids into a protein.
Ribosomes
Build proteins by reading messenger RNA.Source: NHGRISource: Nissen et al., 2000Source: Ban et al., 2000
Structure
How Ribosomes connects
Ribosomes is the site of
Ribosomes is part of
Level of life
Cell
The smallest unit that can live on its own. Every living thing is made of one or more cells.
Ribosomes is related to
Structure
Endoplasmic reticulum
Makes and folds proteins and lipids for membranes and export.
Molecule
Enzyme
A biological catalyst that speeds up a reaction without being used up. Most are proteins, but some RNAs are catalysts too, including the core of the ribosome.
Your progress
Sources & further reading
The explanations on this page are our own summaries of these sources. Follow a link to read the original; if anything here disagrees with it, the original wins. How we choose and check sources.
Ribosome (opens the original in a new tab)
National Human Genome Research Institute. Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms. National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH.
ReferenceGovernment sourceEducationalThe structural basis of ribosome activity in peptide bond synthesis (opens the original in a new tab)
Nissen P, Hansen J, Ban N, et al. (2000). Science 289:920-930.
Structural evidence that ribosomal RNA, not protein, catalyzes peptide bond formation.
Peer-reviewedPrimary researchThe complete atomic structure of the large ribosomal subunit at 2.4 Å resolution (opens the original in a new tab)
Ban N, Nissen P, Hansen J, et al. (2000). Science 289:905-920.
Peer-reviewedPrimary research