Prokaryotic cells

• Prokaryotic Cell surface membrane

  Mostly made up of lipids and proteins, controls movement of substance in and out cell
• Prokaryotic Cell wall

  Provides support and prevents the cell from changing shape, made from a polymer called murein
• Prokaryotic Capsule


  Made up of secreted slime, it helps protect bacteria from attack by cells of the immune system
• Prokaryotic Plasmids


  Small loops of DNA that aren't part of the main circular DNA molecule, contain genes for things such as antibiotic resistance and can be passed between prokaryotic cells, not always present in prokaryotic cells
• Prokaryotic DNA


  No nucleus, DNA floats free in the cytoplasm, circular DNA as one long coiled up strand, not attached to any histone proteins
• Prokaryotic Flagella


  A long hairlike structure that rotates to make the prokaryotic cell move, not all prokaryotic cells have this
• Prokaryotic cell replication (Binary fission)


  1. Cell replicates its genetic material before physically splitting into two daughter cells

  2. Circular DNA and plasmids replicate

  3. Main DNA loop is replicated only once but the plasmids can be replicated loads of times

  4. Cell gets bigger and the DNA loops move to opposite poles (ends) to the cell

  5. Cytoplasm begin to divide (new cell walls begin to form)

  6. Cytoplasm divides and two daughter cells are produced, each with one copy of circular DNA but can have a variable number of copies of the plasmid
• Viral replication

  1. Viruses inject their DNA/RNA into the host cell

  2. Hijacked cell then uses its own machinery (enzymes, ribosomes) to replicate the viral particles

  3. Virus' attachment proteins bind to complementary receptor proteins of the cell surface membrane of host cells

  4. Genetic material is then released into the host cells

  5. Genetic material and proteins are replicated by host cells "machinery" (e.g enzymes/ ribosomes)

  6. Viral components assemble

  7. Replicated viruses are released from the host cell