Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes in Bioinformatics
Definitions
- Organisms without a nuclear membrane are called Prokaryotes.
- Organisms consisting of nuclei with nuclear membranes are called Eukaryotes.
Description
In eukaryotic organisms, the part containing the genetic material, the Nucleus, and the Cytoplasm, where various metabolisms occur, are distinguished by the Nuclear Envelope. However, prokaryotic cells do not have a distinct boundary called a nuclear membrane but have a Nucleoid.
The English notation of prokaryotic organisms signifies that the prefix pro- is attached to karyo, which means a membrane, indicating organisms before the appearance of a nuclear membrane1.
All prokaryotic organisms are unicellular, consisting of only one cell, and include Bacteria and Archaea. Most other organisms are eukaryotic.
In bioinformatics, the difference between them is more pronounced in the process after DNA creates mRNA than whether or not they have a nuclear membrane. At first glance, this may not seem very important, but since the classification dives deep into the presence or absence of a nuclear membrane, it turns out to be an unexpectedly mentioned concept in various aspects of bioinformatics.