differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Prokaryotic cells have no nucleus whereas, eukaryotic cells do

-Prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus whereas eukaryotes do

-Prokaryotes have naked DNA whereas eukaryotes have DNA bound to proteins

-Prokaryotes do not have membrane-bound organelles whereas eukaryotes have membrane-bound organelles.

-Prokaryotes have circular DNA whereas eukaryotes have linear DNA (chromosomes)

-Prokaryotes have 70s ribosomes whereas eukaryotes have 80s ribosomes

-Prokaryotes divide via binary fission whereas eukaryotes divide via mitosis and meiosis

Hi Elizabeth,

Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms, such as bacteria, that have no membrane-bound organelles and also lack a nucleus, meaning their DNA floats freely through the organism.

On the other hand, Eukaryotes are multicellular (plants, fungi, animals etc.), contain their DNA within a nucleus and have membrane-bound organelles, such as the mitochondria.

Hope this helps :)

Most prokaryotes are unicellular ( made up of one cell) and are either archaea or bacteria. Their cells are smaller than eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotes include larger, more complex organisms such as plants and animals

Prokaryotic cells like bacteria have no nucleus, the gebtic information (DNA) is free floating int he cytoplasm. In eukaryotic cells like Animal and plant cells there is a nucleus, the genetic information is inside a membrane bound nucleus.

The primary diference between these two types of organisms is that eukaryotic cells have a membrane-bound nucleus and prokaryotic cells do not.

The nucleus is where eukaryotes store their genetic information. In prokaryotes, DNA is bundled together in the nucleoid region, but it is not stored within a membrane-bound nucleus.

The nucleus is only one of many membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotes. Prokaryotes, on the other hand, have no membrane-bound organelles.

Another important difference is the DNA structure Eukaryote DNA consists of multiple molecules of double-stranded linear DNA, while that of prokaryotes is double-stranded and circular.

All cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, share these four features:

1.       DNA

2.       Plasma membrane 

3.       Cytoplasm 

4.       Ribosomes

The main difference is that eukaryotic cells [in plants, animals and fungi] have a nucleus that is surrounded by a membrane [= "membrane bound"] whilst prokaryotic cell [e.g. bacteria] lack this feature.

Prokaryote cells also lack most of the organelles that eukaryote cells have, for example: mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Prokaryotic cells are typically smaller and simpler in structure than eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells do not have a defined nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells do. Additionally, prokaryotic cells typically have a single, circular chromosome, while eukaryotic cells have multiple, linear chromosomes. Prokaryotic cells reproduce by binary fission, while eukaryotic cells reproduce through the process of mitosis or meiosis.

Eukaryotic cells have membrane bound organelles whilst prokaryotic cells don't. For example, as the nucleus is a membrane bound organelle, prokaryotic cells don't have nuclei. Instead, they have their genetic material in a single chromosome of circular DNA (without any introns). Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, have linear, protein-bound DNA containing introns. Prokaryotic cells also tend to be smaller, and contain 70S ribosomes, whilst eukaryotic cells contain 80S ribosomes. Prokaryotic cell walls are typically made up of peptidoglycan (murein), whilst eukaryotic cell walls, if present, are made of cellulose, or chitin in fungi.

You can actually link some of the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells to the endosymbiotic theory - that some eukaryotic organelles, e.g. mitochondria or chloroplasts, evolved from free-living prokaryotes.

eukaryotes have membrane bound organelles such as a nucleus whereas prokaryotes don’t.

Hi Elizabeth,

Prokaryotic - these are simple cells with no distinct nucleus. The ‘pro’ means ‘before’ and ‘karyo’ refers to the nucleus. The best example of these may well be the simple bacterium.

Eukaryotic cells typically have ‘membrane bound organelles’ such as the nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplasts. The ‘Eu’ prefix comes from the Greek for ‘new’. On an evolutionary scale, eukaryotes are likely to be much ‘younger’ than prokaryotes. In fact, one of the domains used in classification is the Archaea - these are the ’older’ bacteria.

Hope this helps!

Eukaryotic cells:

• Contain a nucleus, a membrane-bound compartment that contains the cell's genetic material
• Contain other membrane-bound organelles, such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus
• Typically larger and more complex than prokaryotic cells
• Found in organisms such as animals, plants, and fungi
• Divide through a process called mitosis

Prokaryotic cells:

• Lack a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles
• Have a single circular DNA molecule that is not enclosed in a membrane
• Typically smaller and simpler in structure than eukaryotic cells
• Found in organisms such as bacteria
• Divide through a process called binary fission

Eukaryotic cells e.g. plant and animal cells have a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. Prokaryotic cells e.g. bacterial cells do not have a nucleus (genetic material is found free in the cytoplasm) and do not have membrane bound organelles.

Prokaryotes are always unicellular, while eukaryotes are often multi-celled organisms. Eukaryotic cells tend to be more than 100 to 10,000 times larger than prokaryotic cells and are much more complex. The DNA in eukaryotes is stored within the nucleus, while in prokaryotes DNA is stored in the cytoplasm. Eukaryotic cells have several chromosomes, whereas prokaryotic cells only have one.

prokaryotic cells are cells without a nucleus so their genetic materia is freely floating in the cytoplasm. they also have no membrane bound organelles e.g. mitochondria, rough/smooth endoplasmic reticulum