What are the characteristics of prokaryotic cells?

Answer 1

Prokarotic cells have a cell membrane and also a cell wall. Like all cells, they contain DNA. However they DO NOT have a nucleus. The genetic material is found in a region of the cell called the nucleoid.--it is circular rather than the linear form found in eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells DO NOT have membrane bound organelles so no golgi, mitochondria, chloroplasts, rough or smooth ER, lysosomes or vesicles. They do have ribosomes that float freely in the cytoplasm and are responsible for protein synthesis using m- and t-RNA. Some prokaryotic cells have small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids which can be transferred between cells and are responsible for passing on traits such as antibiotic resistance to other bacteria. One of these processes is known as transformation. Prokaryotic cells divide by a process called binary fission. Naturally there is no mitosis because they don't have a nucleus.