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Bacteria exist in many shapes and sizes. Which of the following diagrams does not represent a typical bacterial cell?​

User Tdelev
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Final answer:

A typical bacterial cell is identified by shapes like bacilli, cocci, and spirilli, absence of a nucleus, presence of a peptidoglycan cell wall, DNA in a nucleoid, and sometimes flagella for motility. Diagrams featuring cells with a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles do not represent typical bacterial cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Distinguishing a Typical Bacterial Cell

Bacteria are microorganisms that exist in various shapes and sizes. A typical bacterial cell can be identified by its shape, the most common being bacilli (rod-shaped), cocci (spherical), and spirilli (spiral). The description you've provided suggests that we look for a diagram that does not depict any of these shapes or includes structures not characteristic of a prokaryotic cell, such as a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles which are absent in bacteria but present in eukaryotic cells. Instead, bacteria have other structures such as cytoplasm, ribosomes, a plasma membrane, and typically a circular strand of DNA in the nucleoid. Unlike eukaryotic cells, they lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum.

Bacteria also differ in arrangement post-reproduction due to binary fission, which can aid in identification. When observing bacterial cells under a microscope, one might notice clusters or chains depending on how the cells remain after division. Another identifiable characteristic could be the presence of a cell wall made of peptidoglycan, which is distinct in bacterial cells compared to eukaryotic cells. Finally, the presence of flagella is another feature that could help distinguish a bacterial cell, which is used for motility. Consequently, any cell diagram that demonstrates characteristics contrary to these would not represent a typical bacterial cell structure.

User Macattack
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