RPS gene family

Genes in the RPS family provide instructions for making ribosomal proteins (r-proteins). These proteins are components of cellular structures called ribosomes, which process the cell's genetic instructions to create proteins.

Each ribosome is made up of ribosomal RNA (also known as rRNA, a chemical cousin of DNA) and more than 75 different proteins. Some ribosomal proteins are involved in the assembly or stability of ribosomes. Other proteins help carry out the ribosome's main function: to read the cell's genetic instructions (in the form of messenger RNA, or mRNA) and use those instructions to build new proteins from building blocks called amino acids. Because ribosomal proteins interact with one another and with rRNA, it can be difficult to determine the specific functions of individual proteins within ribosomes.

Studies suggest that some ribosomal proteins may have other cellular functions in addition to their role in protein production. These additional functions include regulating cell division, participating in chemical signaling pathways within the cell, and triggering the self-destruction of cells (apoptosis).