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What is a ribosome?
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Quick answer
A ribosome is the tiny molecular machine in every cell that builds proteins. It reads the genetic instructions copied from DNA and links amino acids together in the right order — turning the genetic code into the working molecules of life.
Key things to understand
- It assembles proteins, the cell's workhorse molecules.
- It reads messenger RNA, a copy of a gene's instructions.
- It joins amino acids in the exact sequence the code specifies.
- Cells contain thousands to millions of ribosomes.
- It's the final step in turning DNA's information into action.
People also ask
What does a ribosome do?
It reads the genetic instructions in messenger RNA and strings together amino acids to build the specific protein those instructions encode.
How does a ribosome know which protein to build?
It follows messenger RNA, a working copy of a gene, reading it three letters at a time to add the correct amino acid each step.
Why are ribosomes important?
Proteins do almost everything in a cell, and ribosomes are the machines that make them, so life couldn't function without them.