The ribosomal subunit structures in archaea are similar to which of the following?

• A. Bacteria
• B. Fungi
• C. Eukaryotes
• D. Viruses

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that ribosomal subunits are part of the cellular machinery responsible for protein synthesis, and their structure can vary among different domains of life.
2. Recall that archaea are a distinct domain of life, separate from bacteria and eukaryotes, but they share some molecular features with one of these groups.
3. Compare the ribosomal subunit structures of archaea with those of bacteria and eukaryotes, noting that archaeal ribosomes are more similar in size and complexity to eukaryotic ribosomes than to bacterial ones.
4. Recognize that fungi are eukaryotes, so their ribosomal subunits fall under the eukaryotic category, reinforcing the similarity between archaeal and eukaryotic ribosomes.
5. Conclude that viruses do not have ribosomes, so they are not relevant to this comparison.