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Biology vocabulary · Cells and Levels of Organization

Prokaryote

Meaning in biology, with examples

/proʊˈkæriˌoʊt/nounCommon term

In biology, prokaryote means: A single-celled organism whose cell has no nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles. Bacteria and archaea are prokaryotes.

In Turkish: prokaryot, prokaryotik canlı

How it is used

The adjective prokaryotic is more common than the noun: prokaryotic cell, prokaryotic genome. Prokaryotic DNA is usually one circular chromosome, often with small extra rings called plasmids. Older texts sometimes spell it procaryote.

Example sentences

  1. Unlike eukaryotes, prokaryotes divide by binary fission.

  2. Prokaryotic ribosomes are smaller than eukaryotic ones, which is why some antibiotics can target them.

Common collocations

  • prokaryotic cell
  • prokaryotic organism
  • prokaryotic genome
  • binary fission
  • eukaryoteAn organism whose cells have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. Animals, plants, fungi and protists are all eukaryotes.
  • bacteriaSingle-celled microorganisms without a nucleus that live almost everywhere, from soil and water to the human gut. Most are harmless or useful; some cause disease.
  • cellThe smallest unit of life that can survive on its own. Every living thing is made of one or more cells, and each cell is surrounded by a membrane.
  • nucleusThe large structure in a eukaryotic cell that holds most of its DNA and controls the cell's activities. It is surrounded by a double membrane called the nuclear envelope.
  • ribosomeA small structure made of RNA and protein that builds proteins by reading the instructions in messenger RNA. Ribosomes are found in all cells.

More terms: Cells and Levels of Organization

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