Mammalian Ribosomes Are Composed of a 60S and a 40S

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The Answer is The "S" in the context of ribosomal subunits stands for "Svedberg unit," which is a non-SI unit used to measure the rate of sedimentation during centrifugation. The Svedberg unit reflects how fast particles sediment in a centrifuge and is a measure of their size, shape, and density. It is named after the Swedish chemist Theodor Svedberg, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1926 for his work on colloids and the development of the ultracentrifuge.

In the case of mammalian ribosomes, the 60S and 40S subunits are the two distinct components that come together to form the functional 80S ribosome during protein synthesis. The 60S subunit is the larger subunit and contains the 28S, 5.8S, and 5S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules along with numerous proteins. The 40S subunit is the smaller subunit and contains the 18S rRNA and its associated proteins.

The Svedberg unit is not additive, meaning that the 60S and 40S subunits do not combine to give a 100S ribosome. Instead, the 80S value for the entire ribosome is derived from its own sedimentation characteristics, which are different from the sum of its parts due to changes in shape and density when the subunits associate.

Mammalian Ribosomes Are Composed of a 60S and a 40S

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Mammalian Ribosomes Are Composed of a 60S and a 40S

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