What are eukaryotes?
Animals, plants, fungi with membrane-bound cells containing organelles and a nucleus.
What are prokaryotes?
Bacteria that are single-celled organisms.
What is the role of ribosomes in genetics?
Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis from mRNA.
What are the three superkingdoms/domains of life?
Bacteria, archaea, eukarya.
What distinguishes eukaryotes from prokaryotes at a cellular level?
Eukaryotes have a nuclear envelope separating DNA from cytoplasm and membrane-bound organelles.
What features do all forms of life on Earth share?
- Cell membrane composed of lipid bilayer
- DNA to RNA to protein info transfer
- Ribosomes using mRNA and tRNA for peptide chains
- Proteins as major structural and catalytic molecules
- Use of ATP for chemical energy
- Common pathways of energy transformation.
What is LUCA?
Last universal common ancestor, believed to have been anaerobic and lived in a hot environment.
What is endosymbiosis?
One organism lives inside another, becoming symbiotic if both benefit.
What traits do chloroplasts and mitochondria share with prokaryotes?
- Morphology similar to prokaryotic cells
- Divide by binary fission
- Circular DNA molecule
- Contain ribosomes and tRNAs
- Have electron transport and ATP synthase.
What is the significance of horizontal gene transfer?
Allows genetic information to move between unrelated organisms, mostly in bacteria.
What is the difference between vertical and horizontal gene transfer?
- Vertical gene transfer: Inheritance from previous generation.
- Horizontal gene transfer: Genetic info movement between unrelated organisms.
What is the function of the plasma membrane?
A bilayer of lipids with embedded proteins that serves as a hydrophobic barrier.
What is the cytoplasm?
The region between the plasma membrane and the central region containing organelles and cytosol.
What are the main components of prokaryotic cells?
- Nucleoid
- Ribosomes
- Cell wall
- Plasma membrane
- Cytoskeleton
- Flagella
- Pili.
What is the role of the cell wall in prokaryotes?
Provides rigidity and acts as a barrier to physical damage.
What is the structure of eukaryotic ribosomes?
Consist of a large and a small subunit with 4 types of rRNA.
What is cell fractionation?
The process of breaking cells into fragments to analyze single cell components.
Fill in the blank: The central region of eukaryotic cells contains _______.
DNA.
True or False: Animals have a cell wall.
False.
