5. What is a mesosome in a prokaryotic cell? Mention the functions that it performs.
Answer
A mesosome is a complex membranous structure formed by the infoldings of the plasma membrane in prokaryotic cells. The functions performed by mesosomes are as follows:
1. Mesosomes play important roles in cell wall formation, DNA replication etc.
2. Mesosomes are folded structures, this quality helps to increase the surface area of the plasma membrane to carry out enzymatic activities.
3. Mesosome also helps in cellular respiration and secretion.