Rough endoplasmic reticulum is characterized by which feature?

Prepare for the Foundations of Biology Exam 1. Dive into key biological concepts with multiple choice questions, hints, and explanations. Ace the exam with our efficient study methods!

Multiple Choice

Rough endoplasmic reticulum is characterized by which feature?

Rough endoplasmic reticulum is defined by the presence of ribosomes on its surface, giving it a rough appearance. These ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis, especially for proteins that will be secreted, inserted into membranes, or sent to lysosomes. As proteins are made, they are directed to the ER lumen or membrane by signal sequences and assembled with help from chaperones, beginning their folding and modification there. This contrasts with the smooth ER, which lacks ribosomes and handles lipid synthesis and detoxification. Photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts, and DNA replication takes place in the nucleus. So the feature that best describes rough ER is its abundance of ribosomes dedicated to protein synthesis.

Rough endoplasmic reticulum is defined by the presence of ribosomes on its surface, giving it a rough appearance. These ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis, especially for proteins that will be secreted, inserted into membranes, or sent to lysosomes. As proteins are made, they are directed to the ER lumen or membrane by signal sequences and assembled with help from chaperones, beginning their folding and modification there. This contrasts with the smooth ER, which lacks ribosomes and handles lipid synthesis and detoxification. Photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts, and DNA replication takes place in the nucleus. So the feature that best describes rough ER is its abundance of ribosomes dedicated to protein synthesis.

More practice questions