Bio question: Ribosomes

[powerpenguin]

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The Kaplan books say that the rRNA is the structural component of ribosomes, but my prof taught just this year (08-09 biology course) that recent research has showed that the protein is actually the structural component.

What to do... hm...

 

[lazybummy]

I thought they BOTH are structural components of ribosome.

 

[sixkiller]

Yeah...they both are.

It's worth noting that the rRNA alone is capable of catalyzing peptide bond formation. The protein components simply serve to enhance the catalytic ability.

 

[whawha]

Can you guys explain how protein is the structural component of ribosome? Isn't protein made at ribosome between small and large ribosomal units?

 

[Rishio]

The Protein component of Ribosomes are the Small and Large Subunits. The Small subunit binds to the mRNA where translation is to begin. The large subunit is where the tRNA attaches with the amino acid chains. This should help.

 

[dentrilla]

Their large subunit is composed of a 5S RNA (120 nucleotides), a 28S RNA (4700 nucleotides), a 5.8S subunit (160 nucleotides) and ~49 proteins. The 40S subunit has a 1900 nucleotide (18S) RNA and ~33 proteins.[7]

hurray for wiki 😉