The upcoming discussion will update you about the differences between Prokaryotic Cells and Eukaryote Cells.
Difference # Prokaryotic Cells:
1. The cell size is usually small (0.1— 5.0 um).
2. A prokaryotic cell has one envelope organisation.
3. The flagella, if present, are single stranded, and without differentiation of axoneme and sheath.
4. An organized nucleus is absent. Instead a nucleoid is found.
5. Cell wall, if present, possesses muramic acid.
6. DNA is naked, that is, without histones.
7. DNA is usually circular.
8. The ratio of A + T/G + C is low, < 1.
9. DNA lies freely in the cytoplasm. It is not associated with any organelle.
10. The amount of DNA does not change as there are no haploid and diploid stages.
11. Transcription and translation occur in the cytoplasm.
12. Protein synthesis occurs only in cytoplasm.
13. Respiratory enzymes are associated with plasma membrane.
14. Endocytosis and exocytosis are absent.
15. Cytoplasm does not show cyclosis.
16. Ribosomes are of 70 S type.
17. Membrane bound organelles like ER, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, centrioles, lysosomes and other micro bodies are absent.
18. True or sap vacuoles are usually absent. Instead, gas vacuoles, may be found.
19. Microtubules and microfilaments are commonly absent.
20. Thylakoids, if present, lie freely in cytoplasm.
21. Gametes are not formed, since sexual reproduction and meiosis are absent.
22. A spindle apparatus is not formed during division.
23. Nucleoid is equivalent to a single chromosome or pro-chromosome.
Difference # Eukaryote Cells:
1. The cell size is comparatively larger (5— 100 um).
2. A eukaryotic cell has two envelope organisation.
3. The flagella, if present, are 11-stranded, with differentiation of axoneme and sheath.
4. An organized nucleus is found. It is differentiated into nuclear envelope, chromatin, one or more nucleoli and nucleoplasm.
5. Cell wall, if present, without muramic acid.
6. Nuclear DNA is associated with histones.
7. Nuclear DNA is linear. Extra nuclear DNA is commonly circular.
8. The ratio of A + T/G + C is high, > 1.
9. Most of the cell DNA lies in the nucleus. A small quantity is also found in the plastids and mitochondria.
10. The amount of DNA shows a regular alternation between diploid and haploid stages.
11. Transcription occurs in the nucleus while translation takes place in the cytoplasm.
12. Protein synthesis takes place in cytoplasm, mitochondria and plastids.
13. Respiratory enzymes are present in both cytoplasm as well as mitochondria.
14. They are quite common.
15. Cytoplasm usually shows cyclosis.
16. Ribosomes are of 80S type. 70S ribosomes however, occur in plastids and mitochondria.
17. Mitochondria, ER, Golgi apparatus and micro bodies including lysosomes. centrioles are present in cells of organisms in which motile stage is present in the life cycle.
18. True or sap vacuoles are commonly found.
19. Microtubules and microfilaments are important constituents of eukaryotic cells.
20. Thylakoids, if present, are grouped inside the chloroplasts.
21. Gametes are formed either directly or through meiosis, as sexual reproduction is found in the life cycle.
22. A spindle apparatus is produced during nuclear division.
23. Nucleus contains more than one chromosomes.