Describe four ways in which a bacterial cell differs from a plant cell in terms of its structure.

Cambridge International IGCSE Biology (0610) — 2.1 Cell structure and organisation · Describe · 4 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

Model answer (4 marks)

1. Bacterial cells lack a nucleus – their DNA is circular and floats in the cytoplasm, whereas plant cells have a membrane‑bound nucleus.
2. The bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan, while the plant cell wall is made of cellulose.
3. Bacteria do not possess mitochondria; plant cells contain many mitochondria.
4. Bacterial cells contain plasmids (small circular DNA) which are absent in plant cells, or they lack chloroplasts/vacuoles that plant cells have.

Examiner tips

Use the exact terms ‘nucleus’, ‘peptidoglycan’, ‘cellulose’, ‘mitochondria’, ‘plasmids’, ‘chloroplasts’, ‘vacuole’.
Give one point per line to match the four marks.
Show clear contrast between bacterial and plant cell structures.

Common mistakes

Confusing bacterial DNA with plant DNA; forgetting that bacterial DNA is circular.
Mixing up peptidoglycan with cellulose or vice versa.
Including organelles that are present in both, e.g. ribosomes, which do not earn marks.

Mark scheme (4 marks)

Bacterial cells lack a nucleus / have circular DNA floating in the cytoplasm, whereas plant cells have a nucleus
Bacterial cell wall is made of peptidoglycan, whereas the plant cell wall is made of cellulose
Bacterial cells do not contain mitochondria, whereas plant cells do
Bacterial cells contain plasmids / small rings of DNA, which are not found in plant cells; OR bacterial cells do not contain chloroplasts / a vacuole, whereas plant cells do

Key terms in this question

bacterial cell