What determines the shape of a ribosome?
1 Answer
rRNA and ribosomal proteins.
Explanation:
The ribosome's primary shape consists of a large and small subunit.
The subunits themselves are made up of a special form of RNA called ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and amino acid chains (proteins).
In a eukaryote, the small subunit has approximately 33 proteins. In a prokaryote, there are only about 21. Additionally, the small subunit is also comprised of just one strand of rRNA.
The rRNA in the subunits can actually form complementary base pairs with itself, lending structure to the ribosome.
In the large subunit, there are two different strands of rRNA, a small and large strand, and about 34 and 49 proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, respectively.
The following picture is of a prokaryotic ribosome.
