Cells & Molecules 2013

Week 3: Cell Biology IV

The cell’s internal organisation
» The molecular machine
» Prokaryotes
» Eukaryotes – animal cells
» Eukaryotes – plant cells

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 The cell as a ‘molecular machine’

What do we need for a ‘machine’?

e.g. washing machine
» Right bits
» Right place Just the same for a
» Right job cell !!
» Right time

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The cell’s internal organisation
Basic structural similarities
1. Nucleoid or nucleus where DNA is located
2. Cytoplasm
 Semifluid matrix of organelles and cytosol
3. Ribosomes
 Synthesize proteins
4. Plasma membrane
 Phospholipid bilayer

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 Prokaryotic Cells
Prokaryotic = ‘before the nucleus’
» Simplest organisms
» Lack a membrane-bound nucleus
 DNA is present in the nucleoid
 can also have numerous plasmids - small, separate, circular DNA
strands that can be easily transferred from one cell to another
via a structure called a conjugation pilus.
» Cell wall on outside of plasma membrane
» contain ribosomes (no membrane-bound organelles)
» Two domains of prokaryotes
 Archaea
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 Bacteria
Prokaryotic
Cell

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 Bacterial cell walls
Most bacterial cells are encased by a strong cell wall
» composed of peptidoglycan
 Cell walls of plants & fungi chemically different
» Protect the cell, maintain its shape, and prevent
excessive uptake or loss of water
» May have another layer called glycocalyx
» Susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics often
depends on the structure of their cell walls

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 Flagella
Some prokaryotes move by means of rotating flagella

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 Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic = ‘true nucleus’

» Possess a membrane-bound nucleus

» More complex than prokaryotic cells
» Hallmark is compartmentalization
 Achieved through use of membrane-bound
organelles and endomembrane system
» Possess a cytoskeleton for support and to
maintain cellular structure

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Animal
cell

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Plant
cell

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 Nucleus
Repository of the genetic information
» Most eukaryotic cells possess a single nucleus
» Nucleolus = region where ribosomal RNA
synthesis takes place
» Nuclear envelope
 2 phospholipid bilayers
 Nuclear pores – control passage in and out
» In eukaryotes, the DNA is divided into multiple
linear chromosomes
 Chromatin is chromosomes plus protein 11
Nucleus

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Chromosome

DNA
Central histone Nucleosome

Spacer histone

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 Ribosomes
Cell’s protein synthesis machinery
» Found in all cell types in all 3 domains
» Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-protein complex
» Protein synthesis also requires messenger RNA
(mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA)
» Ribosomes may be free in cytoplasm or
associated with internal membranes
 Membranes

Endomembrane System
» series of membranes throughout the cytoplasm
» compartments with different cellular functions
» group of interrelated organelles
˃ Endoplasmic reticulum
˃ Golgi apparatus
˃ Lysozymes
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 Endoplasmic reticulum
network of membrane-enclosed compartments that
connect directly to the nuclear envelope
» Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)
 Attachment of ribosomes gives rough appearance
 Protein synthesis & modification
 secreted, sent to lysosomes or plasma membrane

» Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)

 Relatively few bound ribosomes
 Lipid synthesis, store Ca2+ , detoxification
Endoplasmic reticulum
network of membrane-enclosed compartments that
connect directly to the nuclear envelope

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Protein processing in ER
Cisternal
space

Signal
sequence
Polypeptide
Ribosome

Membrane of
mRNA endoplasmic reticulum

Cytoplasm
 Golgi apparatus
Flattened stacks of interconnected membranes
(Golgi bodies)
» packages and distributes centre of cell
» modifies, stores & exports substances from cell
» Once all modifications are complete, the
substance is packaged into transport vesicle
» Vesicles transport molecules to destination
 Golgi apparatus
Flattened stacks of interconnected membranes
(Golgi bodies)
Lysosomes
» membrane-bounded digestive vesicles
» arise from Golgi apparatus
» enzymes catalyze breakdown of macromolecules
» destroy cells or foreign matter that the cell has
engulfed by phagocytosis