What is a distinctive feature of eukaryotes?

Eukaryotes are characterized by having membrane-bound organelles, which are specialized structures within the cell that perform distinct functions. This trait distinguishes them from prokaryotes, which lack these organelles and instead have their cellular components freely floating within the cytoplasm.

Membrane-bound organelles, such as the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus, enable compartmentalization of different biological processes, improving the efficiency of cellular functions. For instance, the nucleus houses the genetic material, allowing for organized replication and transcription processes separate from translation, which occurs in the cytoplasm.

In contrast, the presence of cell walls is not exclusive to eukaryotes, as many prokaryotes also have cell walls, though their composition differs. Free-floating DNA is a characteristic of prokaryotes, which contain their genetic material in a nucleoid region rather than in a membrane-bound structure. Similarly, the lack of organelles is a defining feature of prokaryotic cells, further highlighting the importance of membrane-bound structures in eukaryotic cells.