Question

All of the following are reasons why some scientists believe that the term "prokaryote" is a somewhat artificial designation and should be discarded EXCEPT...

1) Some bacteria have internal membranous structures.
2) Some bacteria have their genetic material enclosed within a membrane.
3) Some bacteria have 80S ribosomes.
4) Many bacterial have cytoskeletal elements.

Answer 1

The term "prokaryote" is a somewhat artificial designation and should be discarded because it suggests exclusion rather than unique characteristics. All cells have common structures regardless of being prokaryotic or eukaryotic. The examples given support the belief that the term is artificial.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term "prokaryote" is a somewhat artificial designation used to describe organisms that lack a nucleus and other internal membrane-bound organelles. Some scientists believe that this term should be discarded because it suggests that prokaryotes are defined by exclusion of eukaryotes, rather than their own unique characteristics. However, all cells have four common structures: the plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, a double-stranded DNA genome, and ribosomes. The examples given in the question, such as internal membranous structures, enclosed genetic material, 80S ribosomes, and cytoskeletal elements, are actually reasons why some scientists believe that the term "prokaryote" is artificial and should be discarded.