Differences Between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes: A Comparative Overview
This lesson discusses the fundamental differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the two major divisions of living organisms. Prokaryotes are simple, single-celled organisms with no nucleus, characterized by "naked" DNA, small ribosomes, and cell walls made of peptidoglycan. They thrive in diverse environments and include archaebacteria and eubacteria. Eukaryotes, on the other hand, have complex structures, including a defined nucleus, larger ribosomes, and organelles. The mechanisms of reproduction, metabolism, and survival strategies are also detailed, highlighting the incredible adaptability of these life forms.
Differences Between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes: A Comparative Overview
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Unit 2: Cells Part II: Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes • The differences between these organisms go well beyond the presence or lack of a nucleus • This is the first major division of living things on earth – a very fundamental difference indeed • We can no longer think of prokaryotes as primitive and eukaryotes advanced
No nucleus “Naked” DNA in a DNA loop and plasmids Small ribosomes (70s; 50s/30s subunits) Cell walls made of peptidoglycans Flagella not made of microtubules No EMS (endo-membrane system) Double membrane bound nucleus DNA organized into chromosomes Large ribosomes (80s; 60s/40s subunits) Cell walls made of cellulose (plants) or chitin (fungi or protist) Flagella made of microtubules EMS present Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes: Diversity • The first forms of life were likely very similar to modern bacteria • Rapidly evolving, but surprisingly nearly unchanged over billions of years • Prokaryotes can be found in literally every environment and in every available niche on the planet • Prokaryotes split into to major groups: • Archaebacteria - extremophiles • Eubacteria – “true” bacteria
Prokaryotes: Structure • DNA Loop: a long single fiber in the cytoplasm which contains almost all of the genetic material (the rest is in plasmids); genes are usually kept small and devoid of introns (extra non-coding bits of DNA) – highly efficient • Ribosomes: freely floating in cytoplasm (unbound); site for protein synthesis • Antibiotics like tetracycline bind to the prokaryotic ribosome and interfere with the bacteria’s ability to produce proteins
Prokaryotes: Structure • Cell Wall: provide the cell with shape and structure, and some minimal protection against a hostile environment; most prokaryotes have them • Capsule: jelly-like coating that surrounds the cell wall; only some prokaryotes have them; 4 functions of a capsule: • Prevents cell from drying out • Helps cells stick together or on other surfaces (tissues of other organisms) • Helps prokaryotes slide on surfaces • Keeps some bacteria from being destroyed by the host organism
Prokaryotes: Structure • Flagella: solid crystal proteins that stick through the holes in the cell membrane and spin like propellers for locomotion (very different structure from eukaryotic flagella) • Pilli: short bristle-like appendages which have 2 functions: • Attach bacteria to surfaces • Assist in the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another
Prokaryotes: Shape • Eubacteria typically come in one of 4 shapes: • Coccus (pl. cocci): spere shaped • Advantage: less distortion in a dried out organism • Bacillus (pl. bacilli): rod shaped • Advantage: high surface area • Spirillum (pl. spirilla): spiral/helical shaped • Advantage: highly motile (corkscrew motion) • Spirochete(s): spiral shaped cells with flagella inside the cell membrane
Prokaryotes: Movement • Chemotaxis: movement of an organism toward or away from a chemical • Positive chemotaxis: chemicals that attract organisms toward them are called attractants • Negative chemotaxis: chemicals that repel organisms are called repellants • Runs and twiddles
Prokaryotes: Survival • When environmental conditions are unfavorable, bacteria become inactive. • Some species form endospores (thick wall surrounding genetic material • Endospores go dormant until conditions are favorable • Endospores can survive very harsh environmental conditions • Boil water 2x
Prokaryotes: Reproduction • Asexual Reproduction • Binary Fission: single loop of DNA is copied, both attach to cell membrane; the cell divides by pinching off between the two loops. • Sexual Reproduction • Conjugation: a bridge is formed between cell pili; F plasmid (F=fertility, ~ 25 genes) injected with F pilus; new plasmid is recombined into bacterial DNA
Prokaryotes: Reproduction • Transformation: a living bacterium absorbs the genetic material of a dead cell or “naked” genetic material in the environment • Transduction: transfer of DNA from a host to another cell by means of a virus
Prokaryotes: Metabolics • Heterotrophs: must eat to acquire food • Photoheterotrophs: can use light to produce ATP, but must get organic carbon from another source • Chemoheterotrophs • Saprobes: decomposers that absorb nutrients from dead organic material • Parasites: absorb nutrients from the body fluids of living hosts • Phagotrophs: ingest food and digest it enzymatically within cells or multiple cellular bodies
Prokaryotes: Metabolics • Autotrophs: can produce their own food • Photosynthetic autotrophs (phototrophs): organisms that harness light energy to drive the synthesis of organic compounds from CO2 • Chemosynthetic autotrophs (chemotrophs): organisms that use energy from specific inorganic substances to produce organic molecules from CO2 and provide life processes • Chemoautotrophs: organisms that need only CO2 as the carbon source; they obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic substances like hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, ferrous or other ions
Prokaryotes: Oxygen • Prokaryotic oxygen requirements can be used to classify prokaryotes: • Obligate aerobes: use oxygen for cellular respiration and cannot survive without it • Facultative anaerobes: will use oxygen if present, but can grow by fermentation in an environment void of oxygen • Obligate anaerobes: cannot use oxygen and are killed by it
Prokaryotes: Archebacteria • Archebacteria lack peptidoglycan in their cell walls • Archebacteria have a unique lipid composition in their cell membranes • Archebacteria have a different rRNA structure than eubacteria and eukaryotes • Most Archebacteria live in extreme environments
Prokaryotes: Archebacteria • Examples (subgroups): • Methanogens: use elemental hydrogen (H2) to reduce CO2 into methane (obligate anaerobes) • Extreme Halophiles: live in high salinity environments • Thermoacidophiles: require environments that are hot and acidic
Eukaryotes: Diversity • Protists: single celled, mostly heterotrophic eukaryotic organisms • ie – amoeba, euglena, diatoms, etc… • Fungi: mostly multicellular, heterotrophic, sessile eukaryotic organisms • ie – mushrooms, molds, rusts (the living kind)
Eukaryotes: Diversity • Plants: multicellular, autotrophic (photosynthetic), sessile eukaryotic organisms • ie – trees, grasses, bushes, shrubberies • Animals: multicellular, heterotrophic, mostly motile eukaryotic organisms • ie – sponges, mollusks, fish, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals
Eukaryotes: Structure • Nucleus • Contains primary DNA in the form of chromatin which can be packaged into chromosomes for cellular reproduction • Bound by a double membrane (nuclear envelope) with nuclear pores for the exchange of RNA
Eukaryotes: Structure • Nucleolus • Dense, irregularly shaped body in the nucleus • Makes and stores RNA • Forms new ribosomes
Eukaryotes: Structure • Mitochondrion (pl. mitochondria) • Generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate – a high energy molecule for cellular energy) • Double membrane; inner membrane = cristae, where much of cellular respiration takes place • The area inside the cristae is called the matrix • Contain their own DNA • Why?
Eukaryotes: Structure • Plastids • Leucoplasts – found in roots and tubers • Chromoplasts – contain accessory pigments • Chloroplasts – contain chlorophyll pigments, found in leaves and stems and are the primary photosynthetic organelle
Eukaryotes: Structure • Ribosomes • Non membrane-bound • Site for protein synthesis (very numerous) • Translate mRNA code into proteins • Made of RNA and proteins • 3 Types • 70s - found in prokaryotes • 70s (o) – associated w/ eukaryotes’ ER • 80s – found in cytoplasm of eukaryotes
Eukaryotes: Structure • Endoplasmic Reticulum • Provides internal framework, support • Provides transportation and temporary storage for organic compounds • Provides surface area for the synthesis of organic compounds • Rough – contains ribosomes, site of protein and glycoprotein synthesis (usually for secretion) • Smooth – no ribosomes, synthesize, secrete, and/or store carbohydrates, steroids, hormones, lipids, or other non-protein products
Eukaryotes: Structure • Golgi (complex, apparatus, bodies) • Flattened membranous sacs stacked together • Sacs are called cisterna • Interiors are called the lumen • Cis face = forming face (input) • Trans face = maturing face (output) • Functions: breaks down glycoproteins, concentrates materials into vesicles, forms the cell wall, and produces lysosomes
Eukaryotes: Structure • Lysosomes • Vesicle w/ highly reactive enzymes which can break down proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids • Contain 2 or more hydrolases (enzymes) • Proteases • Nucleases • Lipases • Acidic environment (pH 5) where enzymes work best • “Suicide Bags” = programmed cell death
Eukaryotes: Structure • Peroxisomes • Contain oxidative enzymes which transfer H from various substances to oxygen • Purines, fats, alcohol, poisons, hydrogen peroxide can all be broken down by peroxisomes
Eukaryotes: Structure • Vacuole • Membrane bound body with little or no internal structure • Vacuoles hold substances (varies from one cell to another) • Water, food, waste, pigments, enzymes • Formed by the pinching of the cell membrane • Very large in plant cells (central vacuole), smaller in animal cells
Eukaryotes: Structure • Cytoskeleton • Used to hold and change shape • Used for internal organization • Used for movement of molecules and/or movement of the cell • Made of smaller organelles • Microtubules • Actin Fibrils • Intermediate Fibrils
Eukaryotes: Structure • Cell Wall • Maintains cell shape, protection, prevents excessive uptake of water • Made of polysaccharide cellulose embedded in a matrix of other polysaccharides and protein • Walls of different cells glued together by middle lamella • Strengthens with age: secondary walls
Eukaryotes: Structure • Cell Membrane (or Plasma Membrane) • Semi-permeable membrane surrounding all cells • Made of phospholipids, proteins, cholesterol, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, and glycolipids
Eukaryotes: Structure • Cell Membrane • Fluid-Mosaic Model • Must be fluid to work properly • Cholesterol controls fluidity based on temperature • A mosaic of proteins is embedded and dispersed in the lipid bilayer • Integral proteins – inserted into the membrane • Peripheral proteins – not embedded, attached to membrane surface
Eukaryotes: Function • Movement of substances across the cell membrane • Bulk Flow • Diffusion • Osmosis • Facilitated Diffusion • Active Transport • Vesicle Mediated Transport • Cell-Cell Junction
Eukaryotes: Function • Bulk Flow • molecules move all together in the same direction due to force from hydrostatic pressure • Diffusion (no energy) • The movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration with no energy requirement (small molecules only)
Eukaryotes: Function • Osmosis (no energy) • Special case of diffusion: movement of water across the membrane from high water potential to low water potential • Facilitated Diffusion (no energy) • Polar molecules cannot get through by diffusion, so cells use integral membrane proteins to transport them in/out • Transport proteins are highly selective • Uniport, symport, and antiport proteins
Eukaryotes: Function • Active Transport (energy) • When a substance is moved across the membrane against it’s concentration gradient • Requires energy and membrane proteins
Eukaryotes: Function • Vesicle-Mediated Transport • Vesicles/vacuoles can fuse with the cell membrane • Exocytosis: expulsion of contents outside the cell • Endocytosis: bringing in outside molecules • Phagocytosis (cell eating) • Pinocytosis (cell drinking) • Receptor-mediated endocytosis
Eukaryotes: Function • Cell-Cell Junction • Cells organized into tissues must communicate with each other • Chemical signals (exocytosis from one, endocytosis into the next) • Other junctions • Desmosome • Tight junction • Gap junction • plasmodesma