Want a FREE PDF version of This Article? Show
Complete the form below and we will email you a PDF version of "Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes: What Are the Key Differences?" Company Type* Job Function* Would you like to receive further email communication from Technology Networks? Technology Networks Ltd. needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out our Privacy Policy Want FREE access to this Audio Article? Complete the form below to unlock access to this Audio Article: "Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes: What Are the Key Differences?" Technology Networks Ltd. needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out our Privacy Policy Every living organism falls into one of two groups: eukaryotes or prokaryotes. Cellular structure determines which group an organism belongs to. In this article, we will explain in detail what prokaryotes and eukaryotes are and outline the differences between the two. Prokaryote definitionProkaryotes are unicellular organisms that lack membrane-bound structures, the most noteworthy of which is the nucleus. Prokaryotic cells tend to be small, simple cells, measuring around 0.1-5 μm in diameter. The key structures present in a prokaryote cell
Prokaryotic cell featuresHere is a breakdown of what you might find in a prokaryotic bacterial cell.
Examples of prokaryotesBacteria and archaea are the two types of prokaryotes. Do prokaryotes have a nucleus?Prokaryotes do not have a nucleus. Instead prokaryote DNA can be found, bundled but free-floating, in a central region called the nucleoid. Prokaryote DNA is usually found as a single chromosome of circular DNA. These organisms also lack other membrane-bound structures such as the endoplasmic reticulum. Do prokaryotes have mitochondria?No, prokaryotes do not have mitochondria. Mitochondria are only found in eukaryotic cells. This is also true of other membrane-bound structures like the nucleus and the Golgi apparatus (more on these later). One theory for eukaryotic evolution hypothesizes that mitochondria were first prokaryotic cells that lived inside other cells. Over time, evolution led to these separate organisms functioning as a single organism in the form of a eukaryote. Eukaryote definitionEukaryotes are organisms whose cells have a nucleus and other organelles enclosed by a plasma membrane. Organelles are internal structures responsible for a variety of functions, such as energy production and protein
synthesis. The key structures present in a eukaryote cell.
Eukaryotic cell featuresWithin a eukaryotic cell, each membrane-bound structure carries out specific cellular functions. Here is an overview of many of the primary components of eukaryotic cells.
Other common organelles found in many, but not all, eukaryotes include the Golgi apparatus, chloroplasts and lysosomes. Examples of eukaryotesAnimals, plants, fungi, algae and protozoans are all eukaryotes. Comparing prokaryotes and eukaryotesAll life on Earth consists of either eukaryotic cells or prokaryotic cells. Prokaryotes were the first form of life. Scientists believe that eukaryotes evolved from prokaryotes around 2.7 billion years ago. The primary distinction between these two types of organisms is that eukaryotic cells have a membrane-bound nucleus and prokaryotic cells do not. The nucleus is where eukaryotes store their genetic information. In prokaryotes, DNA is bundled together in the nucleoid region, but it is not stored within a membrane-bound nucleus. The nucleus is only one of many membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotes. Prokaryotes, on the other hand, have no membrane-bound organelles. Another important difference is the DNA structure. Eukaryote DNA consists of multiple molecules of double-stranded linear DNA, while that of prokaryotes is double-stranded and circular. Key similarities between prokaryotes and eukaryotesA comparison showing the shared and unique features of prokaryotes and eukaryotes All cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, share these four features: 1. DNA 2. Plasma membrane 3. Cytoplasm 4. Ribosomes Transcription and translation in prokaryotes vs eukaryotesIn prokaryotic cells, transcription and translation are coupled, meaning translation begins during mRNA synthesis. In eukaryotic cells, transcription and translation are not coupled. Transcription occurs in the nucleus, producing mRNA. The mRNA then exits the nucleus, and translation occurs in the cell’s cytoplasm. What are the key differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?Prokaryotes and eukaryotes vary in several important ways - these differences include structural variation - whether a nucleus is present or absent, and whether the cell has membrane-bound organelles, and molecular variation, including whether the DNA is in a circular or linear form. The differences are summarized in the table below.
What is translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic translations are involved in protein synthesis. The key difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic translation is that eukaryotic translation and transcription is an asynchronous process whereas prokaryotic translation and transcription is a synchronous process.
Where does translation happen in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes?Prokaryotic transcription occurs in the cytoplasm alongside translation. Prokaryotic transcription and translation can occur simultaneously. This is impossible in eukaryotes, where transcription occurs in a membrane-bound nucleus while translation occurs outside the nucleus in the cytoplasm.
How is translation similar in prokaryotes and eukaryotes?Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic Translation
The fundamental process of translation is same in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Members of both groups uses information present in mRNA, which is came from the DNA by transcription, to synthesize proteins with ribosome as the machinery.
How is translation different in prokaryotes and eukaryotes quizlet?In a eukaryotic cell, transcription occurs in the nucleus, and translation occurs in the cytoplasm. In a prokaryotic cell, transcription and translation are coupled; that is, translation begins while the mRNA is still being synthesized.
|