Final answer:
Prokaryotic cells require the binding of release factors to the ribosome in order to trigger the dissociation of the small and large ribosomal subunits, concluding the process of translation.
Step-by-step explanation:
In prokaryotic cells, the factor that must bind to the ribosome to cause the dissociation of the small and large ribosomal subunits at the end of translation is a release factor. These protein release factors recognize the nonsense stop codons (UAA, UAG, or UGA) which signal the end of the protein-coding sequence. The binding of release factors to the A site of the ribosome triggers a series of events, ultimately causing the addition of a water molecule to the carboxyl end of the polypeptide chain. This action releases the polypeptide from the tRNA in the P-site and leads to the disassembly of the ribosomal subunits so that they can be reused for another round of translation.