Biology › Section K · Viruses and prokaryotes › Topic K.5

Structure of prokaryotes

A prokaryote is a complete organism in a single tiny cell: a loop of DNA, a tough wall, and a few clever appendages - plus three ways to trade genes that eukaryotes never use.

In this topic

  • The stripped-down cell
  • The wall and the water problem
  • The Gram split
  • Archaea: same plan, different chemistry
  • Capsules, flagella, and pili
  • Plasmids: extra circles of DNA
  • Binary fission: cloning at speed
  • Three ways to trade genes
  • Worked example: which domain is it?
  • Worked example: a pathogen made, not born
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • Key takeaways

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