GENERAL BIOLOGY 1

Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic Cells

Quarter 1, Module 2a
General Biology 1
Senior High School
Locally-Developed Module
Quarter 3-Module 2a: Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic Cells
First Edition, 2021

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Writer: Angelo B. Garcia
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Content Editor: Kimberly Sindayen
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Department of Education-SDO Dagupan City

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 PROKARYOTIC VS EUKARYOTIC CELLS

The learning objective to be developed in this module is to:

• Distinguish prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells according to their

distinguishing features.. STEM_BIO11/12-Ia-c-3

In doing this module, please

follow these reminders…
1. Take the pretest before
working on or answering
the module.
2. Perform the activities as
suggested.
3. Answer all the exercises.
4. Check your answers
against the Key to
Correction.
5. Take the Post Test.

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Direction: There are two main types of cells in living things. Books
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells. To help you
remember the differences between them, complete the
table below. Rodriguez-Fearnly, M. A. (2018). Biology I . Golden Cronica
Publishing, Inc. Quezon City, Philippines pp. 3-4
Prokaryotic Eukaryotic
Questions
Cells Cells
Rea, M. A. D., et. al., (2017). Genral Biology 1. Rex Book
Do they have DNA? store, Manila, Philippines. pp 1-6

Do they have a nucleus?

Websites
Do they have organelles?

https://www.livescience.com/65922prokaryoticvseukaryoticcells.html
Do they have a plasma
membrane? https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-prokaryotes-and-eukaryotes-
12947

Do bacteria have these? https://www.scribd.com/document/389550007/Eukaryotic-Cell-

Definition-docx

Do fungi have these?

Do plants have these?

Do animals have these?

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Direction: Remember the differences between Prokaryotic • All cells have the same basic structure. They are all
and Eukaryotic Cells, complete the table below. surrounded by a cell membrane and contain cytoplasm and
Prokaryotic Cells Eukaryotic Cells organelles.

O rganisms • The cell membrane is made of phospholipids and proteins and

controls substances which move in and out of the cell.

C ell Wall
• The nucleus is made up of a nuclear membrane with

C entrioles nucleopores, chromatin material and the nucleolus inside the

nucleoplasm.

C ilia and Flagella

• Mitochondria release chemical potential energy (ATP) for the
cell during cellular respiration.
G olgi Complex
• Ribosomes are important for protein production.

L ysosomes
• Cytoplasm is used for storage and circulation of various
materials.
P eroxisomes
• Endoplasmic reticulum transports substances from one part of

N ucleus the cell to another.

• The Golgi body modifies, secretes, packages and distributes
P lasma Membrane
various organic molecules (proteins and lipids) around the cell.

C hromosomes • Vacuoles are used for storage. In plant cells these are large,
whilst in animal cells, if present, are very small.
R ibosomes
• The cell wall is found only in plant cells and is made up of

E ndoplasmic

Reticulum
cellulose. The cell wall gives the plants shape, support and
protection.

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 Activity C

Answer the following questions.

The two groups of cells that exist on Earth are 1. Why are prokaryotic cells considered to be the simpler than
eukaryotic cells?
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. There are many distinctions
__________________________________________________
between the two, but the most important is that eukaryotic cells __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
have a distinct nucleus that contains the cell's genetic material, __________________________________________________
while prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and instead have free- __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
floating genetic material. _____________________________________________.

2. What does the key word, “organelles” means?

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
________________________________________________.

3. What is the benefit of having DNA housed in a nucleus?

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Figure 1. Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic
______________________________________________.
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-
prokaryotes-and-eukaryotes-129478

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Activity B Prokaryotes

Fill-in the Venn diagram by writing the differences of Prokaryotes are organisms that are made up of cells
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic.
without a nucleus or other membrane-encased organelles. This

means that in prokaryotes, the genetic material DNA is not

bound within a nucleus. Furthermore, DNA in prokaryotes is less

PROKARYOTIC CELLS
structured than in eukaryotes: DNA in prokaryotes is a single

loop, while DNA in eukaryotes is organized into chromosomes.

The majority of prokaryotes are made up of a single cell

(unicellular), but a few are made up of groups of cells

(multicellular).

Bacteria and Archaea are the two classes of prokaryotes

identified by scientists. Some bacteria, such as E. coli,

Salmonella, and Listeria, are present in foods and can cause

EUKARYOTIC CELLS illness; others, on the other hand, are beneficial to human

digestion and other functions. Archaea have been discovered to

be an unique life type capable of surviving in extreme

environments such as hydrothermal vents or arctic ice

indefinitely.

A typical prokaryotic cell might contain the following parts:

• Cell wall: the membrane surrounding and protecting

the cell
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• Cytoplasm: all of the material inside a cell except the Activity A
nucleus
Complete the table by writing the description and example of
• Flagella and pili: protein-based filaments found on the Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic.
outside of some prokaryotic cells

P E
• Nucleoid: a nucleus-like region of the cell where genetic
material is kept
rokaryotic Cells ukaryotic Cells
• Plasmid: a small molecule of DNA that can reproduce
independently
Eukaryotes

Eukaryotes are species made up of cells with a membrane

-bound nucleus (which includes DNA in the form of chromosomes)

and membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotic species may be

multicellular or single-celled. Eukaryotes are the cells that make

up all living things. Plants, fungi, and protists are examples of

E E
other eukaryotes.

A plasma membrane surrounds a typical eukaryotic cell, xamples xamples

which comprises a number of structures and organelles with

various functions. Chromosomes (a structure of nucleic acids and

proteins that bear genetic information in the form of genes) and

mitochondria (often referred to as the "powerhouse of the cell")

are two examples.

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 Common Features of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells

Despite their many variations, prokaryotic and eukaryotic

cells share a variety of characteristics, including the following:

Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms of the domains • DNA: Genetic coding that determines all the characteristics
Bacteria and Archaea. All prokaryotes have plasma membranes, of living things.
cytoplasm, ribosomes, a cell wall, DNA, and lack membrane-
• Cell (or plasma) membrane: Outer layer that separates the
bound organelles. Many also have polysaccharide capsules
which constitutes the outermost layer of the cell, and therefore is cell from the surrounding environment and acts as a selective
often involved in mediating direct interactions between the
barrier for incoming and outgoing materials.
bacteria and its environment. Prokaryotic cells range in diameter
from 0.1–5.0 µm. • Cytoplasm: Jelly-like fluid within a cell that is composed

primarily of water, salts and proteins.

A eukaryotic cell also has a plasma membrane, • Ribosomes: Organelles that make proteins.
cytoplasm, and ribosomes. Additionally unlike prokaryotic cells,
eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus (meaning its DNA is
Difference of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
surrounded by a membrane), and other membrane-bound
organelles that allow for compartmentalization of functions. Nucleus/DNA

Eukaryotic cells tend to be 10 to 100 times larger than

The nucleus of eukaryotic cells is encased in a nuclear
prokaryotic cells.
envelope made up of two lipid membranes. The DNA of a

eukaryotic cell is kept in the nucleus. Prokaryotic cells lack a

nucleus and instead have a membrane-free nucleoid region (an

open part of the cell) that stores free-floating DNA.

Chromosomes are small bits of DNA that make up a cell's entire

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 have smaller subunits as well.
DNA. Although most prokaryotic cells have only one circular

chromosome, eukaryotic cells have several chromosomes that Reproduction: The majority of eukaryotes reproduce by sexual

go through meiosis and mitosis during cell division. reproduction (although some protists and single-celled fungi may

Organelles in Eukaryotic Cells reproduce through mitosis, which is functionally similar to

asexual reproduction). Asexual reproduction occurs in

Eukaryotic cells have a variety of membrane-bound
prokaryotes, resulting in offspring that are exact clones of their
organelles that prokaryotic cells lack. The mitochondria ( which
parents. Pili are adhesive hair-like projections found on some
convert food energy into adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, to
prokaryotic cells that are used to exchange genetic material
power biochemical reactions); the rough and smooth
during conjugation, a form of sexual process. Bacteria,
endoplasmic reticulum (a network of membrane-enclosed
protozoans, and certain algae and fungi may conjugate.
tubules that carry synthesized proteins); the golgi complex

(which sorts and packages proteins for secretion); and, in plant Cell Walls
cells, chloroplasts (which conduct photosynthesis). Many of
Most prokaryotic cells have a rigid cell wall that
these organelles are found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells.
surrounds the plasma membrane and gives shape to the
Ribosomes organism. In eukaryotes, vertebrates don't have a cell wall but
Ribosomes in eukaryotic cells are larger, more complex, plants do. The cell walls of prokaryotes differ chemically from the
and membrane-bound. They can be present in a variety of eukaryotic cell walls of plant cells, which are primarily made of
areas, including the cytoplasm, the endoplasmic reticulum, and cellulose. In bacteria, for example, the cell walls are composed
the nuclear membrane (covering on the nucleus). of peptidoglycans (sugars and amino acids).
Ribosomes are distributed and float freely in the

cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells. In prokaryotic cells, ribosomes

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