Final answer:
The termination and recycling of ribosomes in eukaryotes occur through a process initiated by the encounter of a stop codon, followed by the release of the polypeptide chain, the dissociation of ribosomal subunits, and the degradation of mRNA.
Step-by-step explanation:
Termination and recycling of the ribosomes in eukaryotes occur through the process of translation termination. Termination of translation occurs when a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA) is encountered by the ribosome. The polypeptide chain is then released with the help of protein release factors which instruct the enzyme peptidyl transferase to add a water molecule to the carboxyl end of the P-site amino acid, forcing it to detach from its tRNA.
The small and large ribosomal subunits dissociate from the mRNA and from each other, after which they are recruited into another translation initiation complex. After many ribosomes have completed the translation process, the mRNA is degraded, and the nucleotides are recycled for use in another transcription reaction.