UNIT 3: PROKARYOTIC

VS. EUKARYOTIC CELLS

Prepared by:
MELODY T. TAMONTE, LPT, MAED
Prokaryotes

🠶 Prokaryotes are organisms defined by their lack of membrane-

bound organelles. The origin of the word prokaryote comes from
the Greek "pro", meaning before, and "karyon" which means
nucleus or “kernel’’.
🠶 Prokaryotes lack a nucleus to store DNA. Their DNA is instead
found in a circular form within the cytoplasm. The DNA in
prokaryotes is naked DNA. Prokaryotes have cell walls which are a
network of fibres that provides the cell with strength and rigidity.
This network in the cell wall allows the cell to be freely permeable.
These differ from eukaryotes which have a nucleus containing
genetic information (DNA).
🠶 Most prokaryotes are unicellular (single cells) but there are some
that have life cycles with multicellular stages. Bacteria (such as
Escherichia coli), archaea and cyanobacteria are prokaryotes.
🠶 Prokaryotes breed through asexual reproduction, usually either by
budding or binary fission (simple division). Most prokaryote cells
are small and simple in their outward appearance which are
typically spherical or rod-shaped.
Prokaryotes In Biomedical Research
🠶 One of the most known bacteria used in research is Escherichia
Coli, which can be found in soil and in animal intestines. This
organism is considered a model organism as it grows fast in simple
and affordable medium containing salts and glucose. It produces
several molecules such as proteins, vitamins, lipids, etc. which are
important for research.
🠶 There are two kingdoms of prokaryotes. These are the bacteria (or eubacteria ) and the
archaebacteria (or the Archaea ). The members of these two kingdoms appear similar in
shape and appearance, even under the extreme magnification of the electron microscope.
🠶 Eubacteria and archaea have very different cell walls. They are also distinguished by their
DNA - the DNA of archaea has histone proteins while that of eubacteria does not.
 Bacteria Characteristics

Bacteria are single-celled organisms. They lack organelles

such as chloroplasts and mitochondria, and they do not
have the true nucleus found in eukaryotic cells. Instead,
their DNA, a double strand that is continuous and
circular, is located in a nucleoid. The nucleoid is an
irregularly shaped region that does not have a nuclear
membrane. Bacteria also have a cell membrane and a cell
wall that is often made of peptidoglycan. Together, the cell
membrane and cell wall are referred to as the cell
envelope. Many bacteria need a cell wall in order to
survive.
 Bacteria Shapes

🠶 Cocci are bacteria that are spherical or ovoid in shape. Some cocci remain
attached after binary fission, even though separate cells have been formed. For
example, diplococci are cocci in pairs, streptococci are chains, and staphylococci
are clusters of multiple cocci. Tetrads are square arrangements of four cocci,
while sarcinae are cubes of eight cocci.
🠶 Spiral bacteria are, as the name suggests, spiral-shaped. Spirillums are thick,
tough spirals. Spirochetes are spirals that are thin and flexible. Vibrios are
comma-shaped rods with a small twist.
🠶 Bacilli are rod-shaped bacteria. Like cocci, bacilli can be solitary or arranged
together. Diplobacilli are two bacilli arranged next to each other, and
streptobacilli are chains of bacilli.
 Examples of Bacteria

1. Escherichia Coli is one example of a common species

of bacteria. It is bacillus-shaped and found naturally in
the intestines of many animals including humans, where
it produces vitamin K and b-complex vitamins. E. coli is
also often used in laboratory research since it reproduces
quickly and is hardy. Most strains of E. coli are harmless
to humans, but some can cause infection. E. coli infection
can result in gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, and
in more severe cases, bacterial meningitis or pneumonia
can occur.
2. Lactobacillus Acidophilus is another bacillus-shaped
species of bacteria naturally found in places like the
intestines and vagina, where it protects against harmful
bacteria. It is a probiotic, a bacterium found in certain
foods like yogurt and other fermented foods that is
consumed in order to help absorb nutrients and replenish
the body’s supply of “good” bacteria. It can also be
consumed in small amounts by people with lactose
intolerance in order to help them consume lactose.
3. Some bacteria can be extremely harmful, such as
Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes
botulism. C. botulinum produces the neurotoxin
botulinum, which is responsible for the symptoms of
botulism. Symptoms include blurred vision, nausea,
trouble breathing, muscle weakness, and paralysis.
Botulinum toxin is the deadliest known toxin; just one
kilogram of botulinum would be deadly enough to kill the
entire human population.
Archaea

🠶 Archaebacteria are single-celled organisms that can survive in

extreme conditions. They are believed to be the oldest form of
organisms, being about 3.5 billion years old. In the past, they were
placed under the Kingdom Monera along with bacteria. However,
this classification is no longer followed. Since archaebacteria are
biochemically and genetically different from bacteria and possess
unique evolutionary history, they have a separate domain in the
three-domain system of biological classification. In fact,
archaebacteria are no longer called so, they are instead known as
archaea.
 Characteristics (Archaea)
Archaebacteria belong to a group of primitive
prokaryotes that are able to live in an
environment that is not suitable for any other
living organism. They are found in extreme
conditions of acidic, alkaline, salt marshes,
and hot sulfur springs. Therefore, they are also
called extremophiles, i.e., lover of extreme
conditions
Eukaryotes

🠶 Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within a

nuclear envelope. Eukaryotes belong to the domain Eukaryota or Eukarya;
their name comes from the Greek (eu, "well" or "good") and (karyon, "nut"
or "kernel").
🠶 Eukaryotic cells are typically much larger than those of prokaryotes,
having a volume of around 10,000 times greater than the prokaryotic cell.
They have a variety of internal membrane-bound structures, called
organelles, and a cytoskeleton composed of microtubules,
microfilaments, and intermediate filaments, which play an important role
in defining the cell's organization and shape. Eukaryotic DNA is divided
into several linear bundles called chromosomes, which are separated by a
microtubular spindle during nuclear division.
There are four kingdoms within the domain
Eukarya:
🠶 Kingdom Protista
🠶 Kingdom Plantae
🠶 Kingdom Fungi
🠶 Kingdom Animalia
The term ‘Protista’ is derived from the Greek word “protistos”,
meaning “the very first“. These organisms are usually unicellular and
the cell of these organisms contain a nucleus which is bound to the
organelles. Some of them even possess structures that aid locomotion
like flagella or cilia.
 Classification of Protista

Kingdom Protista is classified into the following:

Protozoa
🠶 Protozoans are unicellular organisms. Historically, protozoans were called
“animal” protists as they are heterotrophic, and showed animal-like
behaviors.
🠶 There are also parasitic protozoans which live in the cells of larger
organisms. Most of the members do not have a predefined shape. For
instance, an amoeba can change its shape indefinitely but a paramecium
has a definite slipper-like shape. The most well-known examples of
protozoans are amoeba, paramecium, euglena. Unlike other members of
this group, euglena is a free-living protozoan that has chlorophyll, which
means it can make its own food.
The protozoans can be divided into four major groups:

1. Amoeboid protozoans – Mostly found in water bodies, either fresh

or saline. They have pseudopodia (false feet) which help to change
their shape and in capturing and engulfing food. E.g. Amoeba
2. Flagellated protozoans – As the name suggests, the members of
this group have flagella. They can be free-living as well as parasitic.
E.g. Euglena
3. Ciliated protozoans – They have cilia all over their body which
help in locomotion as well as nutrition. They are always aquatic.
E.g. Paramecium
4. Sporozoans – These organisms are so-called because their life
cycle has a spore-like stage. For example, the malarial parasite,
Plasmodium.
 Economic Importance of Protists

🠶 Protists serve as the foundation of the food chain.

🠶 Protists are symbionts – having a close relationship between two species in
which, one is benefited.
🠶 Some protists also produce oxygen and may be used to produce biofuel.
🠶 Protists are the primary sources of food for many animals.
🠶 In some rare cases, Protists are harvested by humans for food and other
industrial applications.
🠶 Phytoplankton is one of the sole food sources for whales
🠶 Seaweed is an alga, which is considered a plant-like protist.
🠶 Zooplankton is fed on by various sea creatures including shrimp and
larval crabs.
 Kingdom Plantae

Kingdom Plantae includes green, brown and red algae, liverworts, mosses, ferns and
seed plants with or without flowers. They have the following characteristics:

🠶 They are multicellular organisms with walled and frequently vacuolate eukaryotic
cells.
🠶 These contain photosynthetic pigment in plastids. The principle mode of nutrition is
photosynthesis.
🠶 They are primarily non-motile and live anchored to a substrate.
🠶 Reproduction is primarily asexual or sexual. The reproductive organs are
multicellular. They form a multicellular embryo during development from the
zygote. Algae lack the embryo stage.
🠶 The life cycle consists of alternating haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte
generation. This phenomenon is called the alternation of generation.
 Thallophyta (Algae)

🠶 They are simple, autotrophic non-vascular plants. They have unicelled sex organs and no
embryo formation. These grow in specialized habitats:
1. Cryophytes: These grow on snow or ice.
2. Thermophytes: These grow in hot water.
3. Epiphytes: These are those algae that grow on other plants (algae,
angiosperms). Examples include Oedogonium, Cladophora, Vaucheria, etc.
4. Endophytes: Some blue-green algae grow as endophytes inside other
plants e.g., Anabaena growing inside the leaf of Azolla (fern).
5. Parasites: The alga Cephaleuros virescens grows a parasite on the tea
leaves.
On the basis of nutrition, kingdom fungi can be classified into 3 groups.

🠶 Saprophytic – The fungi obtain their nutrition by feeding on dead organic substances. Examples:
Rhizopus, Penicillium and Aspergillus.
🠶 Parasitic – The fungi obtain their nutrition by living on other living organisms (plants or animals)
and absorb nutrients from their host. Examples: Taphrina and Puccinia.
🠶 Symbiotic – These fungi live by having an interdependent relationship association with other
species in which both are mutually benefited. Examples: Lichens and mycorrhiza. Lichens are the
symbiotic association between algae and fungi. Here both algae and fungi are mutually benefited
as fungi provide shelter for algae and in reverse algae synthesis carbohydrates for fungi.
 Kingdom Animalia

🠶 The Kingdom Animalia is a large group that consists of eukaryotic,

multicellular organisms that are heterotrophic in nature. As such, they
obtain their nutrition from external sources. Although they are unable to
produce their own food, which is one of the main defining characteristics
of plants, animal cells lack a cell wall that is present in plant cells.

🠶 With the exception of a few animals, the majority of animals are motile
which allows them to effectively respond to stimuli and find food, etc. In
general, animals are divided into two main groups namely, vertebrates
(animals with a backbone) and invertebrates (animals that lack a
backbone). They are also divided into several phyla.
Some examples of animals include:

🠶 Human beings
🠶 Cows
🠶 Fish
🠶 Birds
🠶 Sponges - Invertebrate
🠶 Lobster - Invertebrate
🠶 Spiders - Invertebrate
🠶 Clams - Invertebrate
 Similarities Between Prokaryotes and
Eukaryotes
🠶 Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes are two types of organization of
life.
🠶 Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes contain a cell membrane, which
is made up of a phospholipid bilayer.
🠶 The genetic material of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes is DNA.
🠶 Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes contain ribosomes, which
facilitates the translation of mRNA into an amino acid sequence.
🠶 Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes are composed of a cytosol.
Difference Between Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes

Definition
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes are organisms that do not possess a nucleus and
membrane-bound organelles.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotes are organisms that possess membrane-bound
organelles including the nucleus.

Kingdom
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes belong to the kingdom Monera.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotes belong to kingdom Protista, kingdom Plantae,
kingdom Fungi, and kingdom Animalia.
Cell Type
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotes are multicellular organisms.

Size of the cell

Prokaryotes: Prokaryotic cells are normally 0.1 to 10 µm in diameter.
Eukaryotes: These cells are normally 10 to 100 µm in diameter.

Nucleus
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes have no true nucleus, no nuclear membranes or nucleoli.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotic cells consist of a true nucleus with double nuclear membranes
and nucleoli.
DNA
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes have a single, circular DNA molecule in the
nucleoid, They lack histones or exons.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotic cells have multiple, linear chromosomes in the
nucleus. They contain Histones, and exons.

Membrane-bound Organelles
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes cells lack membrane-bound organelles.
Eukaryotes: Membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria, chloroplast,
ER, and vesicles are present in eukaryotes.
Flagella
Prokaryotes: Flagella are made up of two proteins in prokaryotes.
Eukaryotes: Some eukaryotic cells without a cell wall contain flagella.

Cell Wall
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotic cell walls are mostly made up of peptidoglycans.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotic cell walls are made up of cellulose, chitin, and
pectin.
Plasma Membrane
Prokaryotes: Carbohydrates and sterols are not found in the plasma
membrane of prokaryotes.
Eukaryotes: Carbohydrates and sterols serve as receptors on the plasma
membrane of eukaryotes.

Cytoskeleton
Prokaryotes: Prokaryotes contain a primitive cytoskeleton without
cytoplasmic streaming.
Eukaryotes: Eukaryotes contain a complex cytoskeleton with cytoplasmic
streaming.
Cell Division
Prokaryotes: Cell division occurs through binary fission in prokaryotes.
Eukaryotes: Cell division takes place through mitosis in eukaryotes.

Sexual Reproduction
Prokaryotes: Sexual reproduction of prokaryotes occurs by conjugation.
Eukaryotes: Sexual reproduction occurs through production of gametes in
eukaryotes
 Conclusion

Prokaryotes and eukaryotes are two types of organisms on

earth. Bacteria and cyanobacteria are prokaryotes.
Animals, plants, fungi, protozoa, algae, are eukaryotes.
Prokaryotes do not contain membrane-bound organelles
and a nucleus. But, eukaryotes contain membrane-bound
organelles and a nucleus. The main difference between
prokaryotes and eukaryotes is their cellular organization.