Question

As opposed to a nucleus, what cellular organelle is now considered a defining trait or characteristic that defines what it is to be a eukaryote? Is sexual reproduction necessary to be a eukaryote?

Answer 1

ANSWER -

apart from nucleus and nuclear membrane distinctions, there are necessarily more traits which differentiate prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

few of them are mentioned below-

1) chloroplast - these organelles help in photosynthesis and they are absent in prokaryotes while present in eukaryotes

2) mitochondria - the power house of cell are absent in prokaryotes and present in eukaryotes

3)another feature is absence of cell wall in prokaryotes while presence of cell wall in eukaryotes

4) genetic material is linear in eukaryotes but it is circular in eukaryotes

5)gogli bodies and ribosomes along with endoplasmic reticulum are absent in prokaryotes but present in eukaryotes

sexual reproduction is NOT a must criterion for a cell to be eukaryotic. eukaryotes also reproduce by just mere cell division and making it to grow. few processes are budding, regeneration , parthenogenesis and others.

while sexual reproduction takes place by meiosis.

hence, there are many ways asexually by which an eukaryotic cell can reproduce , thus, sexual reporduction is not the must criterion for the cell to be eukaryotic.