Eukaryotic Structure 1

Question 1

What are eukaryotes?

Answer 1

Organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other membrane bound organelles
Animals, plants, fungi and protists

Question 2

What are fluorescent proteins and what do they do ?

Answer 2

Proteins that absorb light at one wavelength and emit it at a longer wavelength, making them glow under uv light.
They allow researchers to view certain structures and track the movement or behaviour of proteins or cells.

Question 3

What is the endosymbiosis theory ?

Answer 3

It is an explanation for how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved.
They originated as free-living prokaryotic cells that were engulfed by an ancestral host and formed a symbiotic relationship.

Question 4

What are the limitations of prokaryotic cell size ?

Answer 4

1. Surface area/volume ratio
2. Diffusion rates of molecules
3. The need for high concentrations of compounds and enzymes

Question 5

Describe SA/volume ratio

Answer 5

As the volume increases, SA/volume ratio decreases

Question 6

What is compartmentalism?

Answer 6

The way that eukaryotic cells divide their space into membrane bound organelles, so different cellular processes can occur in different places

Question 7

What are biomolecular condensates ?

Answer 7

They are dynamic, membrane-less compartments that concentrate molecules to organise biochemical reactions and processes.
They require scaffolds to form eg. Proteins