Mammalian mitochondrial ribosomal proteins are encoded by nuclear genes and help in protein synthesis within the mitochondrion. Mitochondrial ribosomes (mitoribosomes) consist of a small 28S subunit and a large 39S subunit. They have an estimated 75% protein to rRNA composition compared to prokaryotic ribosomes, where this ratio is reversed. Another difference between mammalian mitoribosomes and prokaryotic ribosomes is that the latter contain a 5S rRNA. Among different species, the proteins comprising the mitoribosome differ greatly in sequence, and sometimes in biochemical properties, which prevents easy recognition by sequence homology. This gene encodes a 28S subunit protein. In the prokaryotic ribosome, the comparable protein is thought to play an essential role in organizing the 3' domain of the 16 S rRNA in the vicinity of the P- and A-sites. Pseudogenes corresponding to this gene are found on chromosomes 8p and 12p. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].