Which of the following correctly describes a characteristic of archaeal cells?

• A. Their membranes contain ester-linked phospholipids.
• B. Their cell walls lack peptidoglycan.
• C. They have membrane-bound organelles.
• D. They are classified as eukaryotes.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the basic classification of archaeal cells. Archaea are a distinct domain of life, separate from bacteria and eukaryotes.
2. Step 2: Review the composition of archaeal cell membranes. Unlike bacteria, archaeal membranes contain ether-linked phospholipids, not ester-linked ones.
3. Step 3: Examine the cell wall structure of archaea. Archaeal cell walls do not contain peptidoglycan, which is a key component of bacterial cell walls.
4. Step 4: Consider the presence of membrane-bound organelles. Archaea, like bacteria, lack membrane-bound organelles, which are characteristic of eukaryotic cells.
5. Step 5: Confirm the classification of archaea. They are prokaryotes, not eukaryotes, despite some similarities to eukaryotic cells.