Which one of the following statements about ribosomes is true?

A) The large subunit contains rRNA molecules, the small subunit does not.

B) The RNA in ribosomes plays a structural, not catalytic, role.

C) There are about 25 of them in an E. coli cell.

D) There are two major subunits, each with multiple proteins.

E) They are relatively small, with molecular weights less than 10,000.

Question

Kayley Mahoney

Biology

6 May, 10:25

Which one of the following statements about ribosomes is true?

A) The large subunit contains rRNA molecules, the small subunit does not.

B) The RNA in ribosomes plays a structural, not catalytic, role.

C) There are about 25 of them in an E. coli cell.

D) There are two major subunits, each with multiple proteins.

E) They are relatively small, with molecular weights less than 10,000.

+5

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Leroy Bowen · Answer 1

D) There are two major subunits, each with multiple proteins.

Explanation:

The ribosome is a complex structure made of RNA and proteins. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes have two subunits: small and large subunits. Each of these subunits is made of specific types of ribosomal RNAs (rRNA) and a number of different proteins.

For example, the 30S subunit of E. coli ribosome has 21 different proteins while its 50S subunit is made of 33 different types of proteins along with rRNA.

Likewise, the 40S subunit of a eukaryotic ribosome is made of 33 proteins while its 60S subunit has 47 proteins. The eukaryotic ribosome contains a total of 80 different proteins.