Chromosomes: The vehicle by which
hereditary information is physically transmitted from one generation to the
next; in a bacterium, the chromosome consists of a single naked circle of DNA;
in eukaryotes, each chromosome consists of a single linear DNA molecules and associated
proteins. Read more
.jpg "Eukaryotic Chromosome")
Prokaryotic Chromosome vs Eukaryotic Chromosome
Prokaryotic Chromosome
• Found in cytoplasm.
• Circular chromosome attached to the inside of the cell membrane.
• Single chromosome plus plasmids.
• Made only of DNA.
• Copies its chromosome and divides immediately afterwards.
.jpg "Eukaryotic Chromosome")
Eukaryotic Chromosome
• Found in nucleus
• Linear chromosomes
• Many chromosomes.
• Usually,10-50 chromosomes in somatic cells.
• Human body cells have 46 chromosomes.
• Made of chromatin, a nucleoprotein (DNA coiled around histone
proteins).
•
Copies chromosomes, then the
cell grows (G2 phase), then goes through
mitosis to organise chromosomes in two equal groups.