The two subunits of ribosomes are the large subunit and the small subunit.
Ribosomes, essential for protein synthesis in all living organisms, are composed of two distinct subunits that come together during translation. These subunits are named based on their sedimentation rate in Svedberg units (S), which is a measure of size and shape.
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Large Subunit: This subunit is responsible for catalyzing the peptide bond formation between amino acids, a crucial step in building a polypeptide chain. In prokaryotes (like bacteria), this is the 50S subunit. In eukaryotes (like plants and animals), it is the 60S subunit.
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Small Subunit: This subunit is responsible for binding messenger RNA (mRNA) and ensuring accurate matching between the mRNA codons and transfer RNA (tRNA) anticodons. In prokaryotes, this is the 30S subunit. In eukaryotes, it is the 40S subunit.
It's important to note that the S values are not additive. For example, the prokaryotic 70S ribosome is formed from the 50S and 30S subunits. The eukaryotic 80S ribosome is formed from the 60S and 40S subunits.
These subunits contain ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal proteins, which work together to perform the complex process of translation.
