A scientist is studying the various prokaryotic and eukaryotic species found floating in a sample of water taken from a marine ecosystem.

Which cellular component will be found in the widest range of organisms in the sample?

The chloroplast, since all organisms need a source of energy.

A

The ribosome, since all organisms need to synthesize proteins.

B

The mitochondrion, since all organisms need to break down glucose.

C

The cell wall, since all marine organisms need them for support.

D

As you know, eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms are very different at the cellular level, but they all need to synthesize proteins across ribosomes, so this would be the most abundant molecule in this environment shown in the question above, since both prokaryotic organisms and eukaryotic possess the ribosomes.

Ribosomes are very important structures for organisms, being present in all cells of the human body, except for sperm, which fulfill another more specific function. They are very important in the process of protein synthesis. Briefly, DNA goes through the process of transcription by messenger RNA, known as mRNA. After this step, ribosomes translate the information and the tRNA (carrier RNA) carries the amino acids that, in a given sequence, will form the specified protein.