Prokaryotic Cell Structure: The Nucleoid

Learning Objectives for "Prokaryotic Cell Structure: The Nucleoid"

After completing this section you should be able to perform the following objectives.

1. Define genome.

2. Describe the composition of the bacterial nucleoid.

3. State the function of histone-like proteins in bacterial DNA.

4. Name the enzymes that enables bacterial DNA to become circular, supercoiled, and unwind during DNA replication.

5. State the function of DNA.

6. Briefly state how the following antibacterial chemotherapeutic agents affect bacteria:

a. fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin, lomefloxacin, fleroxacin, ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, trovafloxacin, etc.)

b. trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole

Think-Pair-Share Questions

As we are learning, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) are microbial molecules many microbes share but are not found as a part of the human body and are able to initiate innate immune responses. Examples thus far include peptidoglycan fragments, lipopolysaccharide in the gram-negative cell wall, and lipoteichoic acids in the gram-positive cell wall, molecules that human cells lack. Bacterial and viral genomes also act as PAMPs.

Our cells also have DNA and RNA. How can bacterial and viral genomes initiate innate immunity when our genomes do not?

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