Final answer:
The claim that homologous recombination cannot occur in prokaryotic cells because they lack extra chromosome copies for repair is false. Prokaryotes can engage in genetic recombination through transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that homologous recombination cannot occur in prokaryotic cells because they are haploid and therefore have no extra copy of the chromosome to use as a template for repair is false. While it is true that prokaryotes are haploid and reproduce asexually through binary fission, they can still engage in genetic recombination through several mechanisms other than homologous recombination during sexual reproduction. These mechanisms include transformation, where the cell takes DNA from its environment; transduction, where bacteriophages transfer DNA between bacteria; and conjugation, where DNA is directly transferred between prokaryotic cells via a pilus. Therefore, prokaryotic cells have alternative methods to exchange genetic material and do not rely solely on homologous recombination as in eukaryotes.