Prokaryote Cell Structures quiz Flashcards

The capsule, also known as the slime layer, is a large polysaccharide coating that provides an additional protective layer for the cell.

Endospores are super resilient, dormant forms of bacteria that form in response to harsh conditions or a lack of nutrients.

Fimbriae are appendages that allow bacterial cells to adhere to surfaces.

Flagella are whip-like appendages used for locomotion and sensation in prokaryotic cells.

The pilus, or sex pilus, is involved in conjugation, allowing bacteria to pass DNA between cells.

Prokaryotic cells make up 60% of Earth's biomass.

Unlike bacteria, archaea do not use peptidoglycan in their cell walls.

Binary fission is an asexual reproduction process where one cell divides into two identical daughter cells.

Transformation occurs when a prokaryotic cell incorporates exogenous DNA from the environment into its genome.

Transduction is the process where DNA is transferred from one bacterial cell to another by a virus.

Extremophiles are organisms that thrive in extreme environments, and many belong to the domain Archaea.

Methanogens produce methane as a byproduct of their metabolism and are found in environments like swamps and the guts of animals.

The phospholipids of hot spring archaea are made of isoprene units, which allow their membranes to resist breaking down at high temperatures.

Bacteriophages can transfer bacterial DNA between cells, introducing genetic variation through a process called transduction.

The genetic machinery for transcription and translation in archaea is more similar to eukaryotes than to bacteria.