Prokaryotic Cells Only: Unique Structures
Prokaryotic cells, which are the smallest and most basic form of living organisms, lack any membrane-bound organelles or nucleus. Prokaryotic cells are the earliest and most primitive form of cell and they are common in bacteria, archaea and other single-celled organisms. Although they may be small and simple, the structures of prokaryotic cells are not like those found in eukaryotic ones. The cell wall, cell membrane and flagella are all important components. Cell wall gives cells their shape and protects them from environmental hazards. It’s made of peptidoglycan. This gives prokaryotic cell rigidity which is not present in eukaryotic. Plasma membrane or cell membrane acts as a barrier, allowing the cell to manage what is in and out. It is made of a phospholipid bilayer containing embedded proteins. The structures that are responsible for the production of protein are called ribosomes. They are made up of proteins and ribosomalRNA. They are much smaller and more simple than those in eukaryotic cells, and they lack a membrane. Flagella, which look like a whip and can be used to locomotion, are made up of one protein called flagellin. These structures are present in prokaryotic and eukaryotic species, but they cannot be found in all. Cont….