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Explain why bacteria might dedicate more of their internal volume to stored DNA relative to eukaryotes.

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Final answer:

Bacteria dedicate more internal volume to stored DNA due to their lack of nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. They use supercoiling to compact their DNA, allowing efficient storage within the cell. Eukaryotes have linear chromosomes and utilize histones and nucleosomes to pack their DNA, requiring more internal volume.

Step-by-step explanation:

Bacteria might dedicate more of their internal volume to stored DNA relative to eukaryotes due to their unique characteristics.

Bacteria lack a nucleus and do not have membrane-bound organelles, so their DNA is contained in one circular chromosome in the cytoplasm. This compact arrangement allows bacteria to efficiently store their genetic material within the cell.

Furthermore, bacteria use supercoiling to fit their DNA inside the cell. Supercoiling refers to the twisting of DNA that either under-winds or over-winds the double helix structure. This helps to reduce the size of the DNA molecule and save space.

In contrast, eukaryotes have linear chromosomes and employ a different packing strategy called nucleosomes, where DNA is wrapped around histone proteins. This structure allows eukaryotes to organize and store a larger amount of DNA within the nucleus. However, it requires more internal volume compared to bacteria.

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