Prokaryote

A prokaryote (/proʊˈkærioʊt, -ət/; less commonly spelled procaryote)^[1] is a single-celled organism whose cell lacks a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.^[2] The word prokaryote comes from the Ancient Greek πρό (pró), meaning 'before', and κάρυον (káruon), meaning 'nut' or 'kernel'.^[3] In the earlier two-empire system arising from the work of Édouard Chatton, prokaryotes were classified within the empire Prokaryota. However, in the three-domain system, based upon molecular phylogenetics, prokaryotes are divided into two domains: Bacteria and Archaea. A third domain, Eukaryota, consists of organisms with nuclei.

Prokaryotes evolved before eukaryotes, and lack nuclei, mitochondria, and most of the other distinct organelles that characterize the eukaryotic cell. Some unicellular prokaryotes, such as cyanobacteria, form colonies held together by biofilms, and large colonies can create multilayered microbial mats. Prokaryotes are asexual, reproducing via binary fission, although horizontal gene transfer is common.

Molecular phylogenetics has provided insight into the evolution and interrelationships of the three domains of life. The division between prokaryotes and eukaryotes reflects two very different levels of cellular organization; only eukaryotic cells have an enclosed nucleus that contains its DNA, and other membrane-bound organelles including mitochondria. More recently, the primary division has been seen as that between Archaea and Bacteria, since the eukaryotes are part of the archaean clade and have multiple homologies with other Archaea.