Question

Intracellular membraneous compartmentalisation is the characteristic of:

• A. Prokaryotes
• B. Viruses
• C. Diatoms
• D. Nostoc

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Diatoms

Answer 2

Intracellular membraneous compartmentalization refers to the presence of membrane-bound organelles within a cell, such as the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, lysosomes, and vacuoles. This feature is a defining characteristic of eukaryotic cells.

1. Prokaryotes: These are simple organisms (like bacteria and archaea) that lack a true nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Therefore, they do not exhibit intracellular membraneous compartmentalization.

2. Viruses: Viruses are not considered true cells and are acellular. They lack any cellular machinery, including organelles, and thus do not have intracellular compartmentalization.

3. Diatoms: Diatoms are single-celled eukaryotic algae. As eukaryotes, their cells contain a nucleus and various other membrane-bound organelles (e.g., chloroplasts for photosynthesis, mitochondria for respiration), which provide extensive intracellular membraneous compartmentalization.

4. Nostoc: Nostoc is a genus of cyanobacteria, which are prokaryotes. Like other prokaryotes, Nostoc lacks membrane-bound organelles and therefore does not exhibit intracellular membraneous compartmentalization.

Based on this, only diatoms, being eukaryotes, possess intracellular membraneous compartmentalization.