Let me share with you a comparison between larger and smaller subunit of ribosome.
| Aspect | Larger Subunit | Smaller Subunit |
| Composition | Contains rRNA and proteins | Contains rRNA and fewer proteins |
| Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) | · Includes 23S (bacteria and archaea)
· 28S (eukaryotes), 5S and 5.8S rRNA |
· Includes 16S (bacteria and archaea)
· 18S (eukaryotes) rRNA |
| Protein Content | Numerous proteins, more complex structure | Fewer proteins, relatively simpler structure |
| Function | Catalyzes peptide bond formation during protein synthesis | Helps in the decoding of mRNA and initiation of protein synthesis |
| Binding Sites | Contains P (peptidyl), A (aminoacyl) and E (exit) sites | Contains mRNA binding site, tRNA binding sites (A, P, E sites) and initiation factors |
| Size (Svedberg units) | · 50S in bacteria and archaea
· 60S in eukaryotes |
· 30S in bacteria and archaea
· 40S in eukaryotes |
| Ribosomal Proteins | · L1, L2, L3, etc. | · S1, S2, S3, etc. |