60S ribosomal protein L18a is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RPL18A gene. Ribosomes, the organelles that catalyze protein synthesis, consist of a small 40S subunit and a large 60S subunit. Together these subunits are composed of 4 RNA species and approximately 80 structurally distinct proteins. This gene encodes a ribosomal protein that is a component of the 60S subunit. The protein belongs to the L18AE family of ribosomal proteins. It is located in the cytoplasm. This gene is co-transcribed with the U68 snoRNA, which is located in its third intron. As is typical for genes encoding ribosomal proteins, there are multiple processed pseudogenes of this gene dispersed through the genome. References Further reading Ribosomal proteins