In this video, we are going to look at the differences and similarities between prokaryotic
cells and eukaryotic cells.
Prokaryotes are organisms that do not possess a nucleus.
They have a simple cell structure that lacks compartmentalization.
Prokaryotes include members of the two domains Archaea and Bacteria.
E.coli is an example of a prokaryote and a prokaryotic cell that we will use for the
comparison between a prokaryotic cell and eukaryotic cell.
Eukaryotes are organisms which have cells that possess a nucleus.
They have a complex structure that has compartmentalization in the form of organelles, organelles are
membrane-bound structures that perform unique functions.
Eukaryotes include members of the four domains; Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
Plant cells are an example of a eukaryotic cell that we will use for comparison with
a prokaryotic cell.
Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes are considered living and as such both groups carry out all
the essential functions of life.
Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells both possess a cell membrane and within the cell, the cytoplasm,
ribosomes, and DNA.
The first difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is the size of them.
Prokaryotic cells are very small (around .1-5 μm), eukaryotic cells are bigger (around
10-100 μm).
Prokaryotes are always unicellular, whereas eukaryotes can be either unicellular or multicellular.
Cell walls are found in some members of both the prokaryotes and eukaryotes, but what they
are made from differs.
In prokaryotic cells that have a cell wall, it is made from peptidoglycan.
In Eukaryotes it is made from either chitin (in the case of fungi) or with cellulose (in
the case of plant cells).
Flagella are found in some prokaryotes as well are some eukaryotic cells.
The action of the movement between the two groups differ.
In prokaryotes the flagella rotates, whereas in eukaryotes that have a flagella they move
back and forth laterally.
Within the cell, prokaryotes do not have compartmentalization of structures, which means they do not have
any membrane-bound organelles.
Eukaryotes, on the other hand, have compartmentalization within the cell and do have membrane-bound
organelles such as the mitochondria or chloroplast.
Because there are no membrane-bound organelles, the DNA in prokaryotes is in a nucleoid which
has no nuclear membrane.
DNA in eukaryotic cells are found in the nucleus, which has a nuclear membrane enclosing the
genetic material.
In prokaryotes, this DNA is circular, naked and usually doesn’t have introns.
The DNA in eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, are linear and are not naked as the
DNA is bound to histone proteins.
In addition, some prokaryotes can have additional genetic material in the form of plasmids,
eukaryotic cells do not have plasmids.
As previously mentioned both groups have ribosomes.
In both, they consist of two subunits and function in the synthesis of proteins during
translation.
They do differ in size between eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
In prokaryotes, ribosomes are smaller (70s) and in eukaryotes, they are larger (80s).
Another difference is that prokaryotes, possess a single circular DNA molecule, making them
haploid.
In most, but not all eukaryotes, chromosomes within the nucleus are usually paired, making
them diploid, sometimes they have more.
The final difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are their methods for reproduction.
Prokaryotic cells reproduce through the process of binary fission, whereas in eukaryotes it
mostly occurs through the processes of meiosis and mitosis, binary fission does occur to
a lesser extent in some single-celled eukaryotes such as amoeba.
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