Comparing the Prokaryotic Cells and Eukaryotic Cells

Characteristic Typical Organisms Prokaryotes Bacteria, archaea Eukaryotes Protists, fungi, plants, animals

Size of cell

Typically 0.2-2.0 m m in diameter

Typically 10-100 m m in diameter

Nucleus

No nuclear membrane or nucleoli (nucleoid) Absent

True nucleus, consisting of nuclear membrane & nucleoli Present; examples include lysosomes, Golgi complex, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria & chloroplasts

Membrane-enclosed organelles

Flagella

Consist of two protein building blocks

Complex; consist of multiple microtubules

Glycocalyx

Present as a capsule or slime layer

Present in some cells that lack a cell wall When present, chemically simple

Cell wall

Usually present; chemically complex (typical bacterial cell wall includes peptidoglycan)

Plasma membrane

No carbohydrates and generally lacks sterols No cytosketeton or cytoplasmic streaming Smaller size (70S)

Sterols and carbohydrates that serve as receptors present Cytoskeleton; cytoplasmic streaming

Cytoplasm

Ribosomes

Larger size (80S); smaller size (70S) in organelles Multiple linear chromosomes with histones; contained within the nucleus

Chromosome arrangement; Genetic material (DNA)

Single circular chromosome; lacks histones; floats freely around the call

Cell division

Binary fission -differs from mitosis in that a spindle is not utilized. The cell does not go through the stages of mitosis. The spindle apparatus evolved later in eukaryotes.

Mitosis

Plasmid Vector

Present

Absent

Sexual reproduction

No meiosis; transfer of DNA fragments only (conjugation) DNA

Involves meiosis

Genetic Material

DNA

Membrane Bound

Yes

Yes

Metabolism

basic

basic