You receive a sample slide of an organism. While observing it under a microscope, you notice that the organism is single-celled and green in color. There are multiple individual organisms on the slide. Based on this initial information, you guess that it is either a bacterium or a protist. Which trait is least likely to help you identify the correct group of this organism? (1 point)

Question

Responses

the absence of a nucleus
the absence of a nucleus

the presence of different cell shapes
the presence of different cell shapes

the absence of cell structure membranes
the absence of cell structure membranes

the presence of cell structures in the cell

Answer 1

The trait that is least likely to help you identify the correct group of this organism is the absence of cell structure membranes.

Here's why:

• Bacteria (which are prokaryotic) lack membrane-bound organelles, whereas protists (which are eukaryotic) have membrane-bound organelles.
• The presence of different cell shapes is a significant characteristic used to differentiate among bacterial species.
• The presence of cell structures in the cell also indicates whether the organism is complex enough to be a eukaryote like a protist.
• However, both groups can exhibit simplicity or complexity to varying degrees, making the absence of cell structure membranes less definitive for identification.