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GCE CIE Biology - Structural Features of Typical Prokaryotic Cells

Chapter 1 Cell Structure

April 21, 2020

1.2.d Outline key structural features of typical prokaryotic cells as seen in a typical bacterium (including: unicellular, 1-5μm diameter, peptidoglycan cell walls, lack of organelles surrounded by double membranes, naked circular DNA, 70S ribosomes).

  • The two main types of cells are prokaryotic cells, e.g. bacterial cells, and eukaryotic cells, e.g. animal and plant cells. 
  • Prokaryotic cells are nucleus-free! (This means, that the DNA present in these cells is naked/free-floating in the cytoplasm). 

Here we will describe the structure of bacteria, which is an example of a prokaryotic cell.

⚠️Important points to remember that will help in your GCE CIE Biology exam:

  • Bacteria DNA lies freely in the cytoplasm (i.e., naked DNA/nucleus absent).
  • They have a cell wall, made of peptidoglycan, not cellulose (like eukaryotic cells) 
  • Ribosomes size is small (i.e., 70S ribosomes)

Done done done! See you next time! 🤛

References:

Jones, M., & Parkin, M. (2018). Cambridge International As and A level biology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.