Which RNA is a component of ribosomes as a key structural molecule?

Which RNA is a component of ribosomes as a key structural molecule?

• A. Messenger RNA
• B. Transfer RNA
• C. Ribosomal RNA
• D. Small nuclear RNA

Answer: (C)

Ribosomes are built around ribosomal RNA, which provides the structural scaffold that holds the ribosomal proteins in place and forms the catalytic center for peptide bond formation. This RNA is the main RNA component of the ribosome in all cells, giving the ribosome both its shape and its enzymatic activity. Messenger RNA, by contrast, is the template that carries the genetic code from DNA to the ribosome during translation, not a structural piece of the ribosome. Transfer RNA brings specific amino acids to the ribosome and helps decode the mRNA, but it is not part of the ribosome’s core structure. Small nuclear RNA is involved in processing pre-mRNA in the nucleus, not in ribosome structure.

Ribosomes are built around ribosomal RNA, which provides the structural scaffold that holds the ribosomal proteins in place and forms the catalytic center for peptide bond formation. This RNA is the main RNA component of the ribosome in all cells, giving the ribosome both its shape and its enzymatic activity.

Messenger RNA, by contrast, is the template that carries the genetic code from DNA to the ribosome during translation, not a structural piece of the ribosome. Transfer RNA brings specific amino acids to the ribosome and helps decode the mRNA, but it is not part of the ribosome’s core structure. Small nuclear RNA is involved in processing pre-mRNA in the nucleus, not in ribosome structure.