The Differences Between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic...

There are three main divisions of living organisms: Prokaryotes, eukaryotes and archaea. This essay will outline the division between the prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and explore the reasoning behind such differences with regard to general structure, storage of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and its replication, metabolic processes, protein synthesis and ribonucleic acid (RNA) processing. The cell is the most basic unit of life, defined as â€Å"The fundamental ... structural and functional unit of all living organisms† (Oxford University Press, 2008). The prokaryotic cell is typically composed of a plasma membrane and cell wall, containing within it the cytosol and a structure known as the nucleoid. This is a single piece of circular or†¦show more content†¦This arises from the fact that the majority of eukaryotic cells occupy a function within a collaborative tissue or organ (or system), while prokaryotes, and even bacteria that form a multicellular environment, or biofilm, are themselves unicellular and therefore undifferentiated.[9][17] Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes organise and store their genetic information in the form of deoxyribonucleic acid. Differences arise, however, when examining their methods of DNA storage and its replication. Eukaryotic cells store most of their DNA in a membrane-bound nucleus, with the DNA itself organised into compact chromosomes. The nucleus is composed of an internal nucleolus, in which rRNA production occurs, and the nuclear envelope.[5] The nuclear envelope is a double membrane which is continuous with the rough endoplasmic reticulum (R.E.R.), an organelle involved in the synthesis of proteins. In contrast, the nucleoid of a prokaryotic cell is simply one long circular strand of DNA with some associated proteins organised into a seemingly disordered complex. Despite this apparent disordered structure, analysis of nucleoid function in E.coli by Worcel and Burgi in the 1970s demonstrated its advantages e.g. resistance to DNA relaxation due to â€Å"unconstrained supercoiling† (Thanbichler, M., Wang, S., Shapiro, L., 2005). The storage of DNA in a nucleoid illustrates anShow MoreRelatedDifferences Between Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Organisms1339 Words   |  6 PagesDiscuss the differences and similarities between prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms In the past it was thought that you could not get anymore different than plants and animals. 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