BRAINCAKEProkaryotic Cell Structure
Prokaryotic organisms are unicellular and the cells have a simple structure. They have no membrane-bound organelles and their genetic material is a single, compact loop of supercoiled DNA called a chromosome.
The genes on the chromosome are often grouped into operons, a cluster of genes that are transcribed together to give a single messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule. This allows a group of proteins to be synthesised at the same time.
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Key terms in this lesson
- ribosome
- A small organelle, made of RNA and protein, that is the site of protein synthesis.
- eukaryotic cell
- A cell that has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
- gene
- A length of DNA that codes for a polypeptide or a functional RNA molecule, at a specific locus on a chromosome.
More in Cell Structure
- Vacuoles
- Cell Structure and Function
- Cell Specialisation
- Tissues
- Organs
- Organ Systems
- Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic Cells
- Viruses
All 26 lessons in Cell Structure · All AQA AS-level Biology topics