Prokaryote is a unicellular organism that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles. They are simpler in structure compared to eukaryotic cells and include bacteria and archaea.
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Prokaryotes have circular DNA that is located in a region called the nucleoid.
They reproduce asexually through binary fission.
Prokaryotic cells often have cell walls made of peptidoglycan (bacteria) or pseudopeptidoglycan (archaea).
They lack membrane-bound organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
Some prokaryotes have specialized structures like flagella or pili for movement and adhesion.
Review Questions
What type of genetic material do prokaryotes possess and where is it located?
How do prokaryotes typically reproduce?
Name one structural feature that differentiates bacterial cell walls from archaeal cell walls.
Related terms
Eukaryote: Organism whose cells contain a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles.
Binary Fission: A method of asexual reproduction in prokaryotes where the cell divides into two genetically identical cells.
Peptidoglycan: A polymer consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like layer outside the plasma membrane of most bacteria, forming the cell wall.