ribosomes

• What are the three primary binding sites on a ribosome?

  P site, A site, and E site

  
• What are the two subunits of a ribosome and their functions?

  • Small subunit: Holds the mRNA during translation
  • Large subunit: Contains the tRNA binding sites and catalyzes peptide bond formation

  
• What role does mRNA play in translation?

  mRNA provides the genetic code as codons that specify the amino acid sequence of a protein

  
• What do the letters P, A, and E stand for in the ribosome's binding sites?

  • P site: Peptidyl site
  • A site: Aminoacyl site
  • E site: Exit site

  
• Describe the functions of the P, A, and E sites in protein synthesis.

  • P site: Holds the tRNA carrying the growing polypeptide chain
  • A site: Binds the incoming tRNA carrying the next amino acid
  • E site: Releases the tRNA after the amino acid has been added

  
• What are codons and where are they located?

  Codons are three-nucleotide sequences on mRNA that specify an amino acid

  
• How does the ribosome ensure accurate translation of mRNA?

  1. The mRNA codon in the A site must match the anticodon of the incoming tRNA
  2. Correct base pairing between codon and anticodon ensures the right amino acid is brought to the growing chain
  3. Peptide bond formation between adjacent amino acids is catalyzed by the large ribosomal subunit

  
• What is the function of the small ribosomal subunit during translation?

  It holds the mRNA and ensures proper alignment of the codons during translation

  
• What is the function of the large ribosomal subunit during translation?

  It contains the tRNA binding sites and catalyzes the formation of peptide bonds between amino acids

  
• What is the role of ribosomes in the cell?

  Protein synthesis
• What are the two main subunits of a ribosome?

  Large and small subunit
• What do the tRNA binding sites on the large ribosomal subunit do?

  Bind tRNA during protein synthesis
• What does mRNA do in the ribosome?

  Threads through the small subunit