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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
Chapters 4.1, 4.2 and 19
The Structure and Ecological/Evolutionary Importance of Prokaryotes
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CHAPTER 4.1
1. State the cell theory and the three important implications.
2. List the typical size of a:
________ Plant and animal cell
_________
Bacterial cell
________ Chloroplast
_________
Virus
________ Protein
3. Why are cells so small? Explain the importance of the surface area to volume ratio.
4. Cells specialized in absorption/neurotransmission have modifications that do what?
CHAPTER 19.1 – INTRODUCTION TO PROKARYOTES
5. What attributes do all organisms share (see 19.1 – opening paragraph.) How do these features
support the conclusion that all living organisms are related?
6. Summarize the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
7. Name the two major prokaryotic domains AND their characteristics. Why the division?
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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
8. Why has it been difficult to classify prokaryotes in terms of evolutionary relationship?
9. Prokaryotes are generally classified by morphology, compostion of cell wall and molecular
characteristics. Explain why morphology and cell wall composition are not great indicators of
evolutionary relationships.
10. Summarize the differences between gram positive and gram negative bacteria.
11. How has rRNA analysis contributed to a greater understanding of relationships among prokaryotes.
Why rRNA?
12. What is horizontal (lateral) gene transfer?
13. What would be an evolutionary advantage of horizontal gene transfer?
14. Why does the ability of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria make rooting the tree life difficult?
CHAPTER 4.2 – GENERALIZED PROKARYOTE STRUCTURE
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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
15. Roughly sketch a bacterial cell, label its parts and state a function for each using the list of terms
below. Be sure to describe the composition of each, where applicable, in regards to bacterial
structure/function: cell envelope, mesosomes, cell wall, plasmid, and nucleoid.
16. Describe how the cellular structure of cyanobacteria aids in their ability to undergo photosynthesis
without true chloroplasts.
17. What are the roles of flagella, fimbriae, and sex pili in bacteria.
18. Define the role/composition of the following prokaryotic structures:
a. Peptidoglycan
b. Flagella
c. Fimbriae
d. Sex pilus
e. Plasmid
CHAPTER 19.2 DOMAIN BACTERIA
18. Read through Section 19.2 (and Fig 19.1) and list the names of some major prokayotes groups
(Phylum) that belong to the Domain Bacteria below.
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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
19. What are endospores?
20. List characteristics of the Cyanobacteria – be sure to describe heterocysts.
a. How is photosynthesis similar to plants?
b. What is the significance of cyanobacteria to early Earth?
c. Why are nutritional requirements of cyanobacteria so minimal?
DOMAIN ARCHAEA
21. Compare and contrast Domain bacteria and Domain Archaea.
22. Are Eukarya more closely related to the Bacteria or Archaea, and why.
23. Being as specific as possible, list the differences and similarities between Eukarya, Bacteria, and
Archaea that are used to justify the 3-Domain system (see Table 19.1).
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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
24. List the various unique structures and functions of Archaea.
CHAPTER 19.3 – ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF BACTERIA
25. Prokaryotes differ greatly in the type of metabolism and nutrient requirements. Contrast obligate
and facultative anaerobes. How do these bacteria differ from aerobic organisms?
26. Define photoautotrophic and chemoautotrophic.
27. Photoautotrophic bacteria can be subdivided by whether they release what?

How do these bacteria differ in the types of photosystems and photoactive pigments they
contain?

Green sulfur and purple bacteria are examples of which type of autotroph?

Which type is more similar to plants and algae?
28. Explain the ecological significance of chemoautotrophs.
29. Define chemoheterotrophic decomposers. How is the decomposer method (call saprotrophs or
saprobes) of nutrition different from ingesting dead meat or plant material?
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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
IMPORTANCE OF PROKARYOTES
30. Summarize the importance of prokaryotes in the following capacities:
a. Nutrient cycling
b. Formation of O2 in the atmosphere of early Earth
c. Pathogens
31. How is nitrogen ‘fixed’? What is the name of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in the nodules on
the roots of legume plants?
32. Diagram the N-cycle, detailing the role of plants and bacteria in the cycle.
33. What are lichens? Describe their ecological importance.
34. Define pathogen. Why do pathogens affect only specific tissues?
35. How do bacterial toxins affect host cells? Give an example.
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AP Biology
Origins and Diversity of Life on Earth
Reading Guide – Chapter 4.1, 4.2 and 19 – The Prokaryotes
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