| The small subunit of the ribosome is shown here in two views: the top graphic shows the face that forms the interface with the large subunit and where the complex events of decoding occur; the bottom graphic is of the exterior of the subunit, which faces the cytoplasm. RNA is shown in grey, proteins in turquoise, and the tRNAs at the interface are red, orange and yellow. Note that at the interface with the large subunit, the small subunit is composed predominantly of RNA whereas the protein components are concentrated on the exterior face. |
