16S ribosomal RNA (or 16
S rRNA) is a component of the
30S small subunit of
prokaryotic ribosomes. The genes coding for it are referred to as
16S rDNA and are used in reconstructing
phylogenies, due to the slow rates of evolution of this region of the gene.
Carl Woese and
George E. Fox were two of the people who pioneered the use of 16S rRNA in phylogenies.