Which of the following is a characteristic of prokaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic cells are defined by their lack of a true nucleus. Unlike eukaryotic cells, which have a nuclear membrane that encloses their genetic material (DNA), prokaryotic cells possess a nucleoid region where the DNA is located but not enclosed by a membrane. This fundamental distinction is crucial as it affects various biological processes, such as gene expression and DNA replication, that occur in the cell.

The absence of a nuclear membrane in prokaryotes means that their genetic material is more directly accessible to the cellular machinery that reads and replicates DNA, which can lead to differences in how these processes are regulated compared to eukaryotic cells. Understanding this characteristic is key in studying the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, including their evolutionary implications and their roles in various ecosystems.