Characteristics of living organisms (3)
How do organisms achieve processes (4)
Protocells
Lipids/amino acids
Could form membrane-bound vesicles
What did Millar’s experiment show
Amino acids, sugar, and nucleic acids generated spontaneously from earth’s early atmosphere- disfavoured
Most favoured current theory of beginning of life
Alkaline deep sea vents
Order of evolution from early earth rough
How do you define a species
Biologicallu
Morphological
Ecologically
Phylogenetically
Prokaryotes
Biological species
Members can interbreed and produce viable fertile offspring
Morphological species
Members have common structures
Ecological species
Same niche similarities
Phylogenetic species
Nucleic acid similarities
Prokaryotic species
Strains with common biochemical properties
Why are viruses not organisms (4)
Viral replication cycle
Biological characteristics of prokaryotes
Traits of being microscopically small
High rate of living
More nutrients=faster metabolism = shorter life span
Why is water viscous for microorganisms
Energy expenditure per unit of mass moved
Low ratio of SA to V = more friction per unit mass
High ratio = less friction per unit mass
Implications of restricted mobility in microorganisms
“Spacial and temporal heterogeneity in nutrients and environment is critical to prokaryotic activity”
Uptake of nutrients for prokaryotes
Via Cell wall: small molecules only = extracellular hydrolysis to break down larger
Diffusion through extracellular matrix
Photoautotrophs
Light
Inorganic Carbon
Photoheterotroph
Light
Organic C source
Chemoautotroph
Chemical
Inorganic C
Chemoheterotroph
Chemical
Organic C