Topic A: Cell Biology

1) Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
Similarities:
Both have cell surface membrane
Both have cytoplasm
Both possess DNA as genetic material
Both have ribosomes
Differences:
Features
Presence of nucleus

Nature of DNA
Presence of
membrane bound
organelles
Size or ribosomes
Cell and nuclear
division

Prokaryotes
No true nucleus, DNA
lie freely in
cytoplasm in a region
called nucleoid
Circular DNA with
with non-histone
scaffolding proteins
Absent

Eukaryotes
True nucleus,
surrounded by
nuclear envelope (2
layers of
phospholipid bi-layer)
Linear DNA
associated with
histone proteins
Present

70S
Binary fission

80S
Mitosis or meiosis

2) Plant Cells vs Animal Cells

Similarities
Both have cell surface membrane
Both have cytoplasm
Both possess DNA as genetic material
Both have true nucleus

Differences:
Features
Presence of cell wall
Presence of vacuole
Presence of
Choloroplasts
Presence of
Centrioles
Energy Storage

Plant Cells
Present
Large central vacuole
Present

Animal Cells
Absent
Small numerous
temporary vacuoles
Absent

Absent

Present

Starch grains in

Glycogen granules in

Presence of
lysosomes

chloroplasts
Absent

mitochondria
Present

3) Mitochondria vs Chloroplasts
Similarities:
Both are bound by double membrane
Both synthesize ATP
Both are cylindrical in shape
Both contain ribosomes
Both contains circular DNA
Inner membrane both contain embedded stalked particles
containing ATP Synthase
Differences:
Feature
Inner membrane
Synthesised ATP
usage
Energy storage
particles
Organelle function
Found in?

Mitochondria
Inner membrane
folded extensively
folded into cristae
Used for cellular
metabolic functions
Glycogen granules

Chloroplasts
Inner membrance
folded into thylakoids

Site for cellular

respiration

Site for
photosynthetic
reactions
Found only in plant
cells

Animal AND Plant

Cells

To drive Calvins
cycle
Starch grains

Topic L: Genetics of Viruses

Compare between T4 phage, Lambda phage, Influenza and HIV:
Feature
T4 phage
Lambda
Influenza
HIV
phage
Genome
Double
Double
Single
Single stranded
stranded
stranded
stranded
RNA
DNA
DNA
negative
sense RNA
Capsid
Icosahedral
Icosahedral
Spherical
Spherical
head
head
Envelope
Absent
Absent
Spherical
Spherical
Host Cells
E. coli
E. coli
Epithelial cells Helper T cells
of the
respiratory
tract
Attachment/Adsorption
Tail fibres
Tail fibres
Haemagglutini GP120 on the
recognise
recognise
n on the viral
viral envelope
and bind to
and bind to
envelope
recognise and
specific
specific
recognise and bind to the
receptor
receptor
bind to
CD4+ receptor
sites on the
sites on the
specific cell
on the outer
outer
outer surface surface
surface of the
surface of
of bacterial
receptors on
Helper T cells
bacterial
cells
the epithelial
cells
cells of
respiratory
tract
Entry/penetration
Tail sheath
Make use of
Virus enters
Viral envelope
contract,
the pores on the host cell
fuses with the
injecting the the outer
via
cell surface
phage DNA
surface of
endocytosis
membrane of
into the
bacterial
with the
the Helper T
bacterial
cells to inject invagination
cells, exposing
cells
phage DNA
of the cell
capsid protein
surface
for degradation
membrane,
by cellular
forming an
enzymes,
endosome.
releasing viral
Viral envelope RNA and reverse
fused with
transcriptase

Synthesis of viral
compounds

Phage DNA,
directs
synthesis of
phage
proteins via
transcription
and
translation
as well as
the
replication
of the phage
DNA. First
genes
expressed
code for
enzymes
that
degrade
host cells
DNA

Viral assembly

Viral DNA
genome is
packaged
into capsid
head. Tail
fibres and
capsid head

endosomal
membrane,
exposing the
capsid protein
for
degradation
by cellular
enzymes,
releasing the
viral RNA,
proteins and
enzymes into
the cytoplasm
Lamda
Negative
phade,
sense RNA is
expresses
used to
genes that
synthesize
code for
positive sense
integrase
RNA via action
that cuts
of viral RNA
host
dependent
chromosomal RNA
DNA and
polymerase
inserts phage which
DNA,
functions as
creating
mRNA. mRNA
prophage.
will be
translated into
viral
glycoproteins,
capsid
proteins as
well as other
viral proteins.
It will also be
used as
template for
replication of
new negative
sense RNA
that serve as
viral genome
Phage DNA is Capsid protein
excised when enclose viral
transtioning
RNA genome
to lytic cycle and viral
due to
proteins.
environment Capsid then
al signals.
assembles

into the cell

cytoplasm

Reverse
transcriptase
synthesizes
single stranded
DNA strand from
the viral single
stranded RNA
genome. The
viral RNA
genome is
degraded and
reverse
transcriptase
catalyses the
synthesis of
another DNA
complementary
to the first
strand. Newly
synthesized DNA
is then
integrated into
the host
chromosomal
DNA as provirus

Capsid protein
enclose viral
RNA genome
and viral
proteins. Capsid
then assembles
with

are
assembled.

Transcribe
and translate
phage
proteins,
replicate
phage DNA.
Package
phage DNA
into capsid
head. Tail
fibres and
capsid head
assembled
into phage.
Viral DNA
Viral DNA
code for
code for lytic
lytic
enzyme,
enzyme,
damage
damage
bacterial cell
bacterial cell wall, fluid
wall, fluid
enter, swell
enter, swell
and lyse,
and lyse,
release 100release 100- 200 new
200 new
phages
phages

Release

with
glycoproteins
during
budding

glycoproteins
during budding

Virus buds
from cell,
surrounded by
host cell
surface
membrane,
studded with
haemagglutini
n

Virus buds from

cell, surrounded
by host cell
surface
membrane,
studded with
GP120

Topic E: Cell and Nuclear Division

1)Mitosis vs Meiosis
Similarities:
Both occur in eukaryotes
Both involve a step where sister chromatids are separated
(Anaphase and Anaphase 2)

Differences:
Feature
Number of daughter cells
Identicality of daughter cells

Mitosis
2
Genetically identical

Crossing over

Does not occur

Meiosis
4
Genetically dissimilar due to
crossing over and independent
assortment
Crossing over occurs in prophase
1 of meiosis where chiasmata
formation between non identical
sister chromatids occurs in a

Reduction division

Does not occur

Purpose for division

For growth of
organism, repair of
tissues by replacing
worn out or old cells
with genetically
identical ones and for
asexual reproduction

state of synapsis and

corresponding DNA segments are
broken off and exchanged,
resulting in genetic recombination
Occurs in phase 1 of meiosis,
resulting the halving of
chromosomal numbers
For the production of gametes

Topic G&H Respiration and Photosynthesis

1) Respiration vs Photosynthesis
Similarities
Both processes generate ATP
Differences:
Feature
Type of cells that
process occurs in
Light condition
Oxygen
State of
carbohydrates
Type of process

Respiration
Animal cells and Plant cells

Photosynthesis
Plant cells ONLY

Occurs in the dark and in presence

of light
Oxygen is absorbed
Carbohydrates are oxidised

Occurs only in the dark

Catabolic process

Anabolic process

Oxygen is liberated
Carbohydrates are synthesised

Type of
phosphorylation
Location of reactions

Oxidative phosphorylation

Photophosphorylation

Glycolysis-cytoplasm
Link reaction- mitochondrial matrix
Krebs cycle- mitchondrial matrix
Oxidative phosphorylation- inner
mitochondrial membrane

Light dependent reactionthylakoid space

Light independent reactionstroma

2) Alcoholic respiration vs Lactate respiration

Similarities:
Both produce 2 molecules of ATP
Both involves pyruvate
Differences:
Features
Number of steps

Enzymes involved

Alcoholic fermentation
2; Decarboxylation of
pyruvate to produce CO2
and ethanal
Reduction of ethanal by
reduced NAD to ethanol
catalysed by alchol
dehydrogenase to
regenrate oxidised NAD
Decarboxylase and alcohol
dehydrogenase

Lactate fermentation
1; Direct conversion of
pyruvate to lactic acid
catalysed by lactate
dehydrogenase

Lactate dehydrogenase