Which of the following is a similarity between bacteria and archaea?

• A. Both lack a membrane-bound nucleus.
• B. Both are classified as eukaryotes.
• C. Both have peptidoglycan in their cell walls.
• D. Both reproduce by mitosis.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the classification of bacteria and archaea. Both bacteria and archaea are prokaryotes, meaning they do not have a membrane-bound nucleus, unlike eukaryotes.
2. Step 2: Review the cell wall composition of bacteria and archaea. Bacteria typically have peptidoglycan in their cell walls, whereas archaea have different cell wall components and do not contain peptidoglycan.
3. Step 3: Consider the mode of reproduction. Both bacteria and archaea reproduce asexually, but not by mitosis. Instead, they reproduce mainly by binary fission.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the options given: 'Both lack a membrane-bound nucleus' is true for both bacteria and archaea, while the other options are incorrect based on their cellular characteristics.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the key similarity between bacteria and archaea is that both lack a membrane-bound nucleus, which is a defining feature of prokaryotic cells.