BIOL 107 – Cell and Molecular Biology

Different Cell Types

Caraga State University

STUDY GUIDE

Two fundamentally different classes of cells

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic are distinguished by the size and type of organelles
Prokaryotic cells Eukaryotic cells
Unicellular organisms that lack membrane-bound Organisms whose cells have a nucleus and other
structures, the most noteworthy of which is the organelles enclosed by a plasma membrane.
nucleus. Prokaryotic cells tend to be small, simple Organelles are internal structures responsible for
cells, measuring around 0.1-5 μm in diameter. a variety of functions, such as energy production
and protein synthesis.

Prokaryotes are all bacteria, which arose 3.7 Eukaryotes include Protist, Animals, plants and
billion years ago fungi.
Prokaryotes divide by means of binary fission Eukaryotes divide by means of mitosis or meiosis
in the case of sex cells.
Cell features

 Nucleoid: A central region of the cell that  Nucleus: The nucleus stores the genetic
contains its DNA. information in chromatin form.
 Ribosome: Ribosomes are responsible for  Nucleolus: Found inside of the nucleus,
protein synthesis. the nucleolus is the part of eukaryotic
 Cell wall: The cell wall provides structure cells where ribosomal RNA is produced.
and protection from the outside  Plasma membrane: The plasma
environment. Most bacteria have a rigid membrane is a phospholipid bilayer that
cell wall made from carbohydrates and surrounds the entire cell and
proteins called peptidoglycans. encompasses the organelles within.
 Cell membrane: Every prokaryote has a  Cytoskeleton or cell wall: The
cell membrane, also known as the plasma cytoskeleton or cell wall provides
membrane, that separates the cell from structure, allows for cell movement, and
the outside environment. plays a role in cell division.
 Capsule: Some bacteria have a layer of  Ribosomes: Ribosomes are responsible
carbohydrates that surrounds the cell for protein synthesis.
wall called the capsule. The capsule helps  Mitochondria: Mitochondria, also known
the bacterium attach to surfaces. as the powerhouses of the cell, are
 Fimbriae: Fimbriae are thin, hair-like responsible for energy production.
structures that help with cellular  Cytoplasm: The cytoplasm is the region
 attachment. of the cell between the nuclear envelope
 Pili: Pili are rod-shaped structures and plasma membrane.
involved in multiple roles, including  Cytosol: Cytosol is a gel-like substance
attachment and DNA transfer. within the cell that contains the
 Flagella: Flagella are thin, tail-like organelles.
structures that assist in movement.  Endoplasmic reticulum: The endoplasmic
reticulum is an organelle dedicated to
protein maturation and transportation.
 Vesicles and vacuoles: Vesicles and
vacuoles are membrane-bound sacs
involved in transportation and storage.
Transcription and translation in prokaryotes vs eukaryotes

In prokaryotic cells, transcription and translation In eukaryotic cells, transcription and translation
are coupled, meaning translation begins during are not coupled. Transcription occurs in the
mRNA synthesis. nucleus, producing mRNA. The mRNA then exits
the nucleus, and translation occurs in the cell’s
cytoplasm.

What are the key differences between Prokaryotes and eukaryotes vary in several
prokaryotes and eukaryotes? important ways - these differences include
structural variation - whether a nucleus is present
or absent, and whether the cell has membrane-
bound organelles, and molecular variation,
including whether the DNA is in a circular or
linear form. The differences are summarized in
the table below.

All cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, share  DNA

these four features:  Plasma membrane
 Cytoplasm
 Ribosomes
 Six model organism
A. Escherichia coli is a rod-shaped bacterium
that lives in the digestive tract of humans
and other mammals. Much of what we
will discuss about the basic molecular
biology of the cell, including the
mechanisms of replication, transcription,
and translation, was originally worked
out on this one prokaryotic organism.
B. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, more
commonly known as baker’s yeast or
brewer’s yeast. It is the least complex of
the eukaryotes commonly studied, yet it
contains a surprising number of proteins
that are homologous to proteins in
human cells.

C. Arabidopsis thaliana, a weed (called the

thale cress) that is related to mustard
and cabbage, which has an unusually
small genome (120 million base pairs) for
a flowering plant, a rapid generation
time, and large seed production, and it
grows to a height of only a few inches.

D. Caenorhabditis elegans, a microscopic-

sized nematode, consists of a defined
number of cells (roughly 1000), each of
which develops according to a precise
pattern of cell divisions. The animal is
easily cultured, can be kept alive in a
frozen state, has a transparent body wall,
a short generation time, and facility for
genetic analysis.
E. Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, is
a small but complex eukaryote that is
readily cultured in the lab, where it grows
from an egg to an adult in a matter of
days. Drosophila has been a favored
animal for the study of genetics, the
molecular biology of development, and
the neurological basis of simple behavior
 F. Mus musculus, the common house
mouse, is easily kept and bred in the
laboratory. Thousands of different
genetic strains have been developed,
many of which are stored simply as
frozen embryos due to lack of space to
house the adult animals.

A model depicting possible steps in endosymbiosis

This is a model depicting possible steps in the evolution of eukaryotic cells, including the origin of
mitochondria and chloroplasts by endosymbiosis.
In step 1, a large anaerobic, heterotrophic prokaryote takes in a small aerobic prokaryote. Evidence
strongly indicates that the engulfed prokaryote was an ancestor of modern-day rickettsia, a group of
bacteria that causes typhus and other diseases.
In step 2, the aerobic endosymbiont has evolved into a mitochondrion.
In one path (step 4), a primitive eukaryote evolves into non-photosynthetic protist, fungal, and animal
cells.
In the other path (step 5), a primitive eukaryote takes in a photosynthetic prokaryote, which will
become an endosymbiont and evolve into a chloroplast