Eukaryotic ribosome (80S ribosome)

The eukaryotic ribosome is a large, complex molecular machine responsible for catalyzing protein synthesis in all eukaryotic cells. It is composed of two subunits: the small (40S) and large (60S) subunits, together known as the 80S ribosome according to their sedimentation coefficients[2][5]. The small subunit is responsible for reading the mRNA template and ensuring correct pairing with transfer RNAs (tRNAs), while the large subunit catalyzes peptide bond formation, assembling amino acids into polypeptide chains[2][6]. Eukaryotic ribosomes are significantly larger and more complex than their prokaryotic counterparts, containing more ribosomal RNA (rRNA) strands and close to 80 ribosomal proteins[5]. Ribosome biogenesis occurs in the nucleolus of the nucleus, after which the mature subunits are exported to the cytoplasm for assembly and function[7]. Regulation of ribosome function is central to controlling cell growth and proliferation, and aberrations are implicated in numerous diseases including cancer. Many drugs, especially experimental translation inhibitors, target the ribosome to suppress protein synthesis, but therapeutic use is limited by toxicity due to the ribosome’s critical role in normal cellular activities[1][2][4][5].

Other names

cytosolic ribosome80S ribosome

Inhibition of peptide bond formation (e.g., by anisomycin or cycloheximide blocking elongation step) - Disruption of ribosomal structure/function, leading to decreased protein synthesis