6.1 Study Guide Flashcards
Prokaryote vs. eukaryote
Prokaryotes are organisms whose cells lack a nucleus and other organelles. Eukaryotes are organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
Comparing the structures of bacteria vs. plant vs. animal cells
Both the cells contain membrane-bound organelles. Moreover, the Plant, bacteria and animal cells, three have ribosomes that contain RNA and proteins. The Ribosomes primarily translate the nucleic acids into amino acids to form proteins.
Contrasting the structures of bacteria vs. plant vs. animal cells
Bacterial cells lack membrane-bound nuclei. The genetic material lies suspended in the cytoplasm. Animal cells generally have smaller vacuoles which sequester waste products. Plant cells have larger vacuoles that help maintain water balance.
Benefits of both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell plans
Prokaryotic cells can also form biofilms, which provide protection and allow for cooperative behavior. Eukaryotic cells have several advantages over prokaryotic cells. Their larger size allows for more complex structures and specialized organelles, such as the nucleus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum.
Get rid of waste
Within a cell, lysosomes help with recycling and waste removal through a number of pathways. Rich in powerful enzymes that can break down molecules and even entire organelles and bacteria, lysosomes fuse with sacs carrying cellular debris (via autophagy) or pathogens from outside the cell (via phagocytosis).
Serve as a container
The Plasma Membrane. The plasma membrane is not only a container for the contents, but it determines what passes in and out of the cell.
Contain a set of instructions
Genetic material, written in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), provides instructions for the cell. All cells contain the same DNA (the same set of instructions), but cell types are different because of different gene expression. For example, skin cells and blood cells look and function differently.
Read the instructions
The instructions stored within DNA are read and processed by a cell in two steps: transcription and translation. Each of these steps is a separate biochemical process involving multiple molecules. During transcription, a portion of the cell’s DNA serves as a template for creation of an RNA molecule.
Get and use energy
Beginning with energy sources obtained from their environment in the form of sunlight and organic food molecules, eukaryotic cells make energy-rich molecules like ATP and NADH via energy pathways including photosynthesis, glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
