text: Initiation involves the small subunit of the ribosome binding to the 5 end of mRNA with the help of initiation factors (IF). In bacteria and a minority of archaea, initiation of protein synthesis involves the recognition of a purine-rich initiation sequence on the mRNA called the Shine–Dalgarno sequence.  The Shine–Dalgarno sequence binds to a complementary pyrimidine-rich sequence on the 3 end of the 16S rRNA part of the 30S ribosomal subunit.  The binding of these complementary sequences ensures that the 30S ribosomal subunit is bound to the mRNA and is aligned such that the initiation codon is placed in the 30S portion of the P-site.  Once the mRNA and 30S subunit are properly bound, an initiation factor brings the initiator tRNA–amino acid complex, f-Met-tRNA, to the 30S P site.  The initiation phase is completed once a 50S subunit joins the 30S subunit, forming an active 70S ribosome. Termination of the polypeptide occurs when the A site of the ribosome is occupied by a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA) on the mRNA, creating the primary structure of a protein. tRNA usually cannot recognize or bind to stop codons. Instead, the stop codon induces the binding of a release factor protein (RF1 & RF2) that prompts the disassembly of the entire ribosome/mRNA complex by the hydrolysis of the polypeptide chain from the peptidyl transferase center  of the ribosome.  Drugs or special sequence motifs on the mRNA can change the ribosomal structure so that near-cognate tRNAs are bound to the stop codon instead of the release factors. In such cases of translational readthrough, translation continues until the ribosome encounters the next stop codon.