Which RNA forms part of the ribosome and helps translate the genetic code into proteins?

• A. Messenger RNA
• B. Ribosomal RNA
• C. Transfer RNA
• D. Small Nuclear RNA

Answer: (B)

Ribosomal RNA is part of the ribosome itself and plays a central role in translating the genetic code into proteins. The ribosome is a complex of RNA and protein, and the RNA component not only provides the structural framework for the two ribosomal subunits but also acts as a ribozyme to catalyze peptide bond formation between amino acids. As mRNA passes through the ribosome, tRNA delivers specific amino acids and pairs its anticodon with the mRNA codon, while the ribosomal RNA helps align these molecules and facilitate the chemical steps that link amino acids together into a growing polypeptide chain. Messenger RNA carries the genetic message from DNA to the ribosome but is not a component of the ribosome itself. Transfer RNA helps bring amino acids to the ribosome but stays as a separate molecule. Small nuclear RNA is involved in splicing within the nucleus, not in translation. Therefore, the RNA that forms part of the ribosome and drives translation is ribosomal RNA.