Question: The genetic material of bacteria, that is DNA, is –
Options:
Bounded by a membrane
Not bounded by a membrane
Bounded by a cell wall
Bounded by a protein capsid
• Important Key Points:
-Bacteria are prokaryotic single-celled organisms that display all of the characteristics of living organisms.
-Bacterial cells contain organelles and DNA that are immersed within the cytoplasm and surrounded by a cell wall.
-These organelles perform vital functions that enable bacteria to obtain energy from the environment and to reproduce.
-Circular: The DNA of most prokaryotes is in the form of a single circular molecule, or chromosome. This is very different from eukaryotic DNA, which is linear and exists in multiple chromosomes.
-Unpackaged: While eukaryotic DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones for packaging, prokaryotic DNA does not have an equivalent type of protein. Nonetheless, it is supercoiled, or compacted into a smaller, more manageable structure, through the action of enzymes.
-Not Associated with Introns: In prokaryotes, genes do not typically contain introns (non-coding sequences) like they do in eukaryotes. Most of the DNA sequence in prokaryotes codes for proteins.
-Associated with Plasmids: In addition to the main circular DNA molecule, prokaryotic cells can also contain smaller, circular DNA structures known as plasmids. These plasmids carry genes that can be beneficial for the bacteria, such as drug resistance genes, and can be exchanged between bacteria.