Protein synthesis: Ribosomes are primarily responsible for the synthesis of proteins in the cell. They achieve this by translating the information contained in messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules into the sequence of amino acids that make up proteins. The ribosome reads the mRNA sequence and uses it as a template to assemble a chain of amino acids in the correct order, based on the genetic code.
Quality control: Ribosomes also play a role in ensuring that the proteins they produce are of high quality. As the ribosome builds a protein, it checks each amino acid to make sure it is the correct one, using a variety of quality control mechanisms. If an error is detected, the ribosome will pause or even backtrack to correct it, ensuring that the final protein product is free from mistakes. Additionally, ribosomes can also recognize and destroy faulty or misfolded proteins, preventing them from causing damage to the cell.
