Ribosomes are cellular structures that synthesize proteins from amino acids. They are composed of ribosomal RNA and proteins and are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
Ribosomes are essential for gene expression and cell growth. They can be free in the cytoplasm or bound to the endoplasmic reticulum or the nuclear envelope.
An example of a ribosome function is the translation of a messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence into a polypeptide chain. The ribosome reads the mRNA codons and matchesthem with the corresponding transfer RNA (tRNA) anticodons that carry the amino acids. The ribosome then forms a peptide bond between the amino acids and releases the tRNA. This process continues until the ribosome reaches a stop codon on the mRNA and terminates the protein synthesis.