What do prokaryotes consist of?

Prokaryotes consist of organisms whose cells lack a true nucleus, distinguishing them from eukaryotes, which do have membrane-bound nuclei. In prokaryotic cells, genetic material is not enclosed within a nuclear membrane; instead, it resides in a region called the nucleoid. This feature is fundamental to the classification and understanding of prokaryotic organisms, including bacteria and archaea.

In contrast to eukaryotic cells, which are characterized by their complex structures, prokaryotic cells are generally simpler and smaller. They also lack other membrane-bound organelles that are typical in eukaryotic cells, further emphasizing their distinctly simpler cellular organization. Understanding the structural differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is essential in the study of biology, particularly in microbiology and cellular biology.