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(polysome) A string of ribosomes attached together by a single molecule of messenger RNA. The strings may be folded or coiled into complex configurations, often spirals. The ribosomes move along the mRNA and as they pass each base triplet a transfer RNA molecule adds the corresponding amino acid to the base of a growing polypeptide chain. When a ribosome moves off the end of the mRNA it releases its completed polypeptide chain and is ready to start at the beginning again. This enables the code to be used highly efficiently.
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