Science
What is A ribosome?
A ribosome is the tiny molecular machine in every cell that builds proteins. It reads the genetic instructions copied from DNA and links amino acids together in the right order — turning the genetic code into the working molecules of life.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a ribosome.
Key things to understand
- 1It assembles proteins, the cell's workhorse molecules.
- 2It reads messenger RNA, a copy of a gene's instructions.
- 3It joins amino acids in the exact sequence the code specifies.
- 4Cells contain thousands to millions of ribosomes.
- 5It's the final step in turning DNA's information into action.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a ribosome do?
- It reads the genetic instructions in messenger RNA and strings together amino acids to build the specific protein those instructions encode.
- How does a ribosome know which protein to build?
- It follows messenger RNA, a working copy of a gene, reading it three letters at a time to add the correct amino acid each step.
- Why are ribosomes important?
- Proteins do almost everything in a cell, and ribosomes are the machines that make them, so life couldn't function without them.