Use the following choices to answer questions 7 and 8.
a. Animalia
b. Fungi
c. Plantae
d. Bacillota (gram-positive bacteria)
e. Pseudomonadota (gram-negative bacteria)


Into which group would you place a photosynthetic organism that lacks a nucleus and has a thin peptidoglycan wall surrounded by an outer membrane?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the characteristics of the organism: photosynthetic, lacks a nucleus, thin peptidoglycan wall, and has an outer membrane.
2. Recognize that the lack of a nucleus indicates the organism is prokaryotic.
3. Understand that a thin peptidoglycan wall surrounded by an outer membrane is characteristic of gram-negative bacteria.
4. Recall that photosynthetic prokaryotes are often cyanobacteria, which are a type of gram-negative bacteria.
5. Match these characteristics with the provided options, focusing on the description of gram-negative bacteria.

Key Concepts

Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic Cells

Prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells have a defined nucleus and organelles. Understanding this distinction is crucial for classifying organisms, particularly when identifying characteristics like the presence or absence of a nucleus.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which organisms convert light energy into chemical energy, typically using carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen. This process is essential for classifying organisms as photosynthetic, which is a key characteristic of certain groups like plants and some bacteria.

Bacterial Cell Structure

Bacterial cells can be classified based on their cell wall structure, which can be either gram-positive or gram-negative. Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer surrounded by an outer membrane, a feature that is important for identifying the organism in the question, as it indicates a specific group of prokaryotes.