Biology
While eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells have some characteristics in common, they diverged from their common ancestor billions of years ago, thus accounting for significant differences in overall structure and function. Here we will go over them.
1. Presence of a Nucleus- Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus. This means that the genetic information in the form of DNA is protected by a membrane called the nuclear membrane. This is NOT the case with prokaryotes, which lack this nuclear membrane and instead have their genetic information jumbled up in what is known as the nucleoid (resembling a nucleus).
2. Chromosomes- Eukaryotes have true chromosomes. True chromosomes are compact forms of DNA that are wrapped up with the help of proteins. And not only do they have chromosomes, but they have many chromosomes, which take on a linear (straight) conformation. Prokaryotes on the other hand do NOT have true chromosomes, only have one 'chromosome', which happens to be circular in nature.*
*Prokaryotes do have other genetic elements present in their cells including things called plastids, but they will be reserved for discussion in another blog.
3. Presence of Telomeres- Before differentiating between the presence of telomeres, it is important to know what these structure are. The telomeres are structures at the end of linear chromosomes (those found in eukaryotes). Their function is to keep the chromosomes from being degraded by particular molecules/compounds in the cell. Because prokaryotes have circular chromosomes, here is no need for them. This is why they are only present on eukaryotic, linear chromosomes.
4. Presence of Cellular Organelles- Organelles are like small organs in a cell that work together to accomplish tasks within the cell. Eukaryotes contain many of them that prokaryotes simply don't. These include lysosomes, peroxisomes (both involved in digesting molecules within the cell), microtubules, endoplasmic reticulums, the golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
5. Ribosome Size- Ribosomes are the locations in which proteins are made for the cell or for shipment out of the cell. While both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells do contain ribosomes, they are different in their sizes. Prokaryotic ribosomes tend to be dramatically smaller than eukaryotic ribosomes.
6. Mitosis- Prokaryotes do not undergo mitosis when dividing, but instead undergo another process of budding off called binary fission. Eukaryotes do however, undergo mitosis to divide it somatic cells.
7. Cell Size- The size of these two types of cells is also a dramatic difference. Eukaryotic cells can be 10 to 100 times bigger than prokaryotes at a size of 10-100 micrometers. Prokaryotes tend to be in the range of 1-10 micrometers.
8. Cell Type- Eukaryotic cells are known as multicellular because they work together with other types of cells to form an organism. Prokaryotic cells are dubbed unicellular because these types of organisms are simply made of 1 cell.
9. Types of Organisms- Eukaryotes include plant and animal cells, while prokaryotes include the kingdoms Bacteria and Archaea.
10. Other differences include the composition of their flagellas, which take on a different structural build; the cell wall compositions, which can be found in both plant (eukaryotic) cells and prokaryotes; the components of their cellular membranes; among others.
A quick note on some of their similarities include the presence of vacuoles, cell walls, flagellas, ribosomes, genetic information (DNA/RNA), and vesicles.
- Q: Compare And Contrast The Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Genomes
The eukaryotic genome is diploid but the prokaryotic genome is haploid. The eukaryotic genome has multiple origins of replication but the prokaryotic genome has only one origin of replication. The eukaryotic genome may have more than one chromosome but...
- Eukaryotic And Prokaryotic Cells
What are Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cells??? They are the tiny little building blocks of life and sometimes death! Eukaryotic cells are what make up humans, animals, and plants. They do everything from constructing us as babies with DNA to making...
- #5. Plan Diagrams Of Tissue And Organ, Prokaryotic And Eukariotic Cells
An organ usually contains many different types of cells. These are arranged in a particular pattern characteristic of the organ, with cells of a similar type found together, forming distinctive tissues. A plan diagram shows the distribution...
- Orgin Of Eukaryotes
News feature article on the Orgin of Eukaryotes Cells BREAKING NEWS: We have discovered the ancestors of the eukaryote cells. The Eukaryotic cells wasn't the earliest form of cell, but originated from it's ancestor the prokaryotic cells. There...
- Prokaryotic Cells Vs. Eukaryotic Cells
Prokaryotic Cells Prokaryote is a cell or an organism that lacks a nucleus and other membrane enclosed organelles and most of their DNA is a single circular molecule. All bacteria are prokaryotic cells. The word "prokaryote" means "before the nucleus"...
Biology
Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
While eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells have some characteristics in common, they diverged from their common ancestor billions of years ago, thus accounting for significant differences in overall structure and function. Here we will go over them.
1. Presence of a Nucleus- Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus. This means that the genetic information in the form of DNA is protected by a membrane called the nuclear membrane. This is NOT the case with prokaryotes, which lack this nuclear membrane and instead have their genetic information jumbled up in what is known as the nucleoid (resembling a nucleus).
2. Chromosomes- Eukaryotes have true chromosomes. True chromosomes are compact forms of DNA that are wrapped up with the help of proteins. And not only do they have chromosomes, but they have many chromosomes, which take on a linear (straight) conformation. Prokaryotes on the other hand do NOT have true chromosomes, only have one 'chromosome', which happens to be circular in nature.*
*Prokaryotes do have other genetic elements present in their cells including things called plastids, but they will be reserved for discussion in another blog.
3. Presence of Telomeres- Before differentiating between the presence of telomeres, it is important to know what these structure are. The telomeres are structures at the end of linear chromosomes (those found in eukaryotes). Their function is to keep the chromosomes from being degraded by particular molecules/compounds in the cell. Because prokaryotes have circular chromosomes, here is no need for them. This is why they are only present on eukaryotic, linear chromosomes.
4. Presence of Cellular Organelles- Organelles are like small organs in a cell that work together to accomplish tasks within the cell. Eukaryotes contain many of them that prokaryotes simply don't. These include lysosomes, peroxisomes (both involved in digesting molecules within the cell), microtubules, endoplasmic reticulums, the golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
5. Ribosome Size- Ribosomes are the locations in which proteins are made for the cell or for shipment out of the cell. While both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells do contain ribosomes, they are different in their sizes. Prokaryotic ribosomes tend to be dramatically smaller than eukaryotic ribosomes.
6. Mitosis- Prokaryotes do not undergo mitosis when dividing, but instead undergo another process of budding off called binary fission. Eukaryotes do however, undergo mitosis to divide it somatic cells.
7. Cell Size- The size of these two types of cells is also a dramatic difference. Eukaryotic cells can be 10 to 100 times bigger than prokaryotes at a size of 10-100 micrometers. Prokaryotes tend to be in the range of 1-10 micrometers.
8. Cell Type- Eukaryotic cells are known as multicellular because they work together with other types of cells to form an organism. Prokaryotic cells are dubbed unicellular because these types of organisms are simply made of 1 cell.
9. Types of Organisms- Eukaryotes include plant and animal cells, while prokaryotes include the kingdoms Bacteria and Archaea.
10. Other differences include the composition of their flagellas, which take on a different structural build; the cell wall compositions, which can be found in both plant (eukaryotic) cells and prokaryotes; the components of their cellular membranes; among others.
A quick note on some of their similarities include the presence of vacuoles, cell walls, flagellas, ribosomes, genetic information (DNA/RNA), and vesicles.
- Q: Compare And Contrast The Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Genomes
The eukaryotic genome is diploid but the prokaryotic genome is haploid. The eukaryotic genome has multiple origins of replication but the prokaryotic genome has only one origin of replication. The eukaryotic genome may have more than one chromosome but...
- Eukaryotic And Prokaryotic Cells
What are Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cells??? They are the tiny little building blocks of life and sometimes death! Eukaryotic cells are what make up humans, animals, and plants. They do everything from constructing us as babies with DNA to making...
- #5. Plan Diagrams Of Tissue And Organ, Prokaryotic And Eukariotic Cells
An organ usually contains many different types of cells. These are arranged in a particular pattern characteristic of the organ, with cells of a similar type found together, forming distinctive tissues. A plan diagram shows the distribution...
- Orgin Of Eukaryotes
News feature article on the Orgin of Eukaryotes Cells BREAKING NEWS: We have discovered the ancestors of the eukaryote cells. The Eukaryotic cells wasn't the earliest form of cell, but originated from it's ancestor the prokaryotic cells. There...
- Prokaryotic Cells Vs. Eukaryotic Cells
Prokaryotic Cells Prokaryote is a cell or an organism that lacks a nucleus and other membrane enclosed organelles and most of their DNA is a single circular molecule. All bacteria are prokaryotic cells. The word "prokaryote" means "before the nucleus"...