Ribosome

Every protein in your body, and every machine in this atlas, comes off one kind of machine. What does the ribosome do?

The ribosome reads a messenger RNA like a tape. It adds one amino acid for every ?blank letters it reads.

The ribosome uses helper proteins to bring each tRNA and to move along the mRNA. What fuel do these helpers burn?

The catalytic centre of the ribosome holds no protein. The proteins only sit on the surface and hold the RNA folds stable. What does that hint about how the ribosome first evolved?

A tRNA arrives at the ribosome with an amino acid, and the ribosome tests it against the codon. What happens to a tRNA that does not match?

After each bond forms, the ribosome must move on to the next codon. How do its two subunits move to make that step?

Many antibiotics kill bacteria by jamming their ribosomes. How do these drugs stop the machine?

A ribosome adds amino acids to the chain one at a time. In mammal cells, roughly how many does it add each second?

Your body builds protein all day, to grow, to repair and to replace what wears out. Roughly how much protein does it build each day?

The ribosome is built from RNA and protein. At its core two amino acids are joined into a chain. Which of the two materials does that chemistry?