2nd Year

Prokaryotic and
Eukaryotic Cells
Chapter 2
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be
able to:

1. Differentiate prokaryotes from eukaryotes; and

2. Characterize the different medically important
microorganisms.
What is Living cells?
Living Cells can be classified into two
general categories- prokaryotes and
eukaryotes.
Prokaryotes are organisms that do
not possess a true nucleus and
membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryotic organisms are those that

possess a true nucleus and
membrane-bound organelles.
Eukaryotes are usually multicellular organisms and
include:
1

2
Plants
Animals
3 Fungi
4 Parasites
Algae
5
Comparison between Prokaryotes and
Eukaryotes
 FEATURE PROKARYOTIC EUKARYOTIC
Genetic material Not enclosed within a membrane; not Enclosed within a membrane; associated
associated with histories; usually circular with histones; usually linear
Size Smaller (1-2 μm by 1-4 μm or less) Greater than 5 μm in diameter

Cell type Mostly unicellular Mostly multicellular

Nucleus No true nucleus and nuclear membrane; With true nucleus enclosed by nuclear
called nucleoid membrane
Cell wall Simple Complex

Cell division Budding or binary fission Mitosis

Sexual reproduction No meiosis; transfer of DNA only Meiosis

Cytoskeleton Absent Present

Mesosome Functions as mitochondria and Golgi Absent

complex
 FEATURE PROKARYOTIC EUKARYOTIC

Ribosomes 70S; located in cytoplasm 80S; located in membranes such as in the

endoplasmic reticulum 70S; found in
organelles such as mitochondria or
chloroplast

Membrane-bound Absent Present

organelles

Extra chromosomal Present Absent

plasmid

Duration of cell cycle Short (20-60 minutes) Long (12-24 hours)

Medically Important Microorganisms
Organisms that are considered medically are those that
have the potential or the ability to produce significant
clinical disease in humans.
They maybe part of the normal flora of the body or are
true pathogenic organisms.
These may be categorized into bacteria, viruses, fungi,
algae, and parasites.
Viruses are acellular organism. Their surface is called
capsid, which is composed of repeating sub-units called
capsomeres.
Viruses possess only a single nucleic acid, either DNA or
RNA, but never both.
Viruses are classified based on the following:

1. type of nucleic acid they possess.

2. shape of the capsid (icosahedral, helical, polyhedral, or complex)
3. number of capsomeres
4. size of the capsid
5. presence or absence of an envelope
6. type of host they infect (humans, plants, or animals)
7. type of disease they produce
8. target cell or tropism (e.g., T helper cells for HIV) and
9. immunologic or antigen properties
Bacteriophages are special type of viruses that primarily
infect bacteria.

They are similar to other viruses in that:

1. they are obligate intracellular parasites;

2. they are similarly shaped like other viruses; and
3. they may also be classified based on the type of nucleic acid
they possess.
Peroxisomes
Bacteria are prokaryotic cells with majority having an
outer covering called the cell wall that is composed
mainly of peptidoglycan. Bacteria possess both DNA and
RNA.

Bacteria may be broadly categorized into:

1. gram-negative bacteria with cell wall

2. gram-positive bacteria with cell wall
3. acid-fast bacteria with lipid-rich cell wall
4. bacteria without cell wall
Fungi are eukaryotic cells with an outer
surface composed mainly of chitin. Fungi
possess both DNA and RNA.
 Comparison between bacteria and fungi

FEATURES BACTERIA FUNGI

Cell type Prokaryotic unicellular Eukaryotic; unicellular or multicellular

Role in ecosystem Can be both producers and decomposers Mainly decomposers

Optimal pH Neutral pH (6.5-7.0) Slightly acidic (4.0-6.0)

Cell structure No true nucleus and membrane-bound Possess true nucleus and membrane-bound
organelles organelles
Main component of Peptidoglycan, except in archaebacteria Chitin
cell wall
Sterols in cell Absent except in Mycoplasma Present
Plant Cell
membrane
Mode of nutrition Heterotrophic, chemoautotrophic, Heterotrophic; majority aerobic and
photoautotrophic, aerobic, anaerobic, facultative anaerobic
facultative anaerobic
Reproduction Binary fission Sexual and asexual spores
Protozoa are the representatives for parasites.
Also eukaryotic cells that have an outer surface
called a pellicle.

Protozoa possess both DNA and RNA as well

as other features seen in typical eukaryotic
cells.
Algae are eukaryotic organisms whose outer
surface consist primarily of cellulose.
Unlike plants, they do not possess true roots,
stems, and leaves.
Algae vary in size from the single-celled
phytoplanktons to the large seaweeds found in
the ocean floor.
Algae do not produce significant disease in
humans.
A picture is worth a
thousand words
 Comparison between algae and plants
FEATURES ALGAE PLANTS
Taxonomic classification Kingdom protista Kingdom plantae

Cellular structure Unicellular, multicellular or colony-forming Multicellular

Photosynthetic Yes Yes

Energy source Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide

Storage form of energy Starch Starch

Vascular system Absent Present

Habitat Mostly water Mostly rooted to the ground

Composed of roots, stems, and No Yes

leaves
Method of reproduction Both asexual and sexual Sexual (complex)
 Various structure of phytoplanktons

Cyanobacteria Dinoflagellate

Cocolithophore
 Read and study in advance

Chapter 3
BACTERIAL MORPHOLOGY