Describe features of prokaryotes that enable them to thrive in a wide range of different environments.

To describe: The features of prokaryotes to enable them to thrive in varied environments.
Introduction: Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that exhibit peculiar features in their structural organization that make them adapt to a varied range of different environments. These features include the presence of peptidoglycans cell wall, flagella, endospore formation, and resistant genes in plasmids.
Explanation of Solution
The cell walls of prokaryotes are peptidoglycan in nature, which protect the cell, maintain its shape, and prevent it from bursting into the hypotonic environment. In many prokaryotes, the cell wall is surrounded by a sticky coat of polysaccharides or protein, which is known as a capsule. The capsule and slime layers protect the organisms against dehydration and attack their host immune system. Certain bacteria exhibit the property of endospore formation, which enables them to cope up with scarcity of water and nutrients. During the endospore formation, the entire water content is removed to halt the metabolism of bacteria, so that they can survive in the extreme environment in a dormant stage and regain viability even after centuries when they resume their metabolism in a favorable environment. The prokaryotes exhibit short generation time with a large population size, which results in the new mutations to increase the genetic diversity to adapt the variations in a local environment, and thus leading to the evolution. Although the bacteria contain a single chromosome, they may also contain plasmids to carry few genes that provide them antibiotic resistance.
There are several features that help the prokaryotes to survive in extreme conditions.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 27 Solutions
BIOL 1406 V.1 PKG >2014<
- Not part of a graded assignment, from a past midtermarrow_forwardNoggin mutation: The mouse, one of the phenotypic consequences of Noggin mutationis mispatterning of the spinal cord, in the posterior region of the mouse embryo, suchthat in the hindlimb region the more ventral fates are lost, and the dorsal Pax3 domain isexpanded. (this experiment is not in the lectures).a. Hypothesis for why: What would be your hypothesis for why the ventral fatesare lost and dorsal fates expanded? Include in your answer the words notochord,BMP, SHH and either (or both of) surface ectoderm or lateral plate mesodermarrow_forwardNot part of a graded assignment, from a past midtermarrow_forward
- Explain in a flowcharts organazing the words down below: genetics Chromosomes Inheritance DNA & Genes Mutations Proteinsarrow_forwardplease helparrow_forwardWhat does the heavy dark line along collecting duct tell us about water reabsorption in this individual at this time? What does the heavy dark line along collecting duct tell us about ADH secretion in this individual at this time?arrow_forward
- Concepts of BiologyBiologyISBN:9781938168116Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James WisePublisher:OpenStax CollegeBiology 2eBiologyISBN:9781947172517Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann ClarkPublisher:OpenStaxBiology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781337392938Author:Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. BergPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (Mi...BiologyISBN:9781305117396Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningComprehensive Medical Assisting: Administrative a...NursingISBN:9781305964792Author:Wilburta Q. Lindh, Carol D. Tamparo, Barbara M. Dahl, Julie Morris, Cindy CorreaPublisher:Cengage Learning





