Multiple Choice
How are organisms in the domain Archaea different from those in the domain Eukarya?
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26. Prokaryotes
Introduction to Prokaryotes
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Which of the following features can be used to distinguish bacteria from archaea?
A
Circular DNA
B
Lack of a nucleus
C
Ability to survive in extreme environments
D
Presence of peptidoglycan in the cell wall
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that both bacteria and archaea are prokaryotes, meaning they lack a nucleus and have circular DNA. These features cannot be used to distinguish between the two groups.
Recognize that the ability to survive in extreme environments is a characteristic more commonly associated with archaea, but it is not exclusive to them, as some bacteria can also survive in extreme conditions.
Focus on the cell wall composition as a distinguishing feature. Bacteria typically have peptidoglycan in their cell walls, which is a polymer consisting of sugars and amino acids that forms a mesh-like layer outside the plasma membrane.
Note that archaea do not have peptidoglycan in their cell walls. Instead, they may have pseudopeptidoglycan or other unique cell wall structures, which is a key difference from bacteria.
Conclude that the presence of peptidoglycan in the cell wall is a definitive feature that can be used to distinguish bacteria from archaea.
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