Prokaryotes and lack of compartmentalization

[Monique]

Eukaryotic cells have lots of subcellular compartments with all different functions.

Lysosomes to compartmentalize all the degradative enzymes, so that things can be digested and renewed.

Peroxisomes to separate glyconeogenesis from glycolysis for instance to prevent futile cycles.

Prokaryotes lack these compartments. I wonder: how does it degrade and thus digest things without digesting itself? It excretes all its enzymes and then resorbs the broken down nutrients?

[iansmith]

Prokaryotes have compartmentalization but it is not a define or complex as eukaryotes. Some are called self-compartmentalizing. Some reaction also happen outside the cell. The degraded product is pump back in. Some prokaryotes also appear to have some eukaryote-like compartmentalization.

These article could answer some questions
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TD0-3Y868B2-J&_coverDate=02%2F01%2F1999&_alid=133051968&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=5184&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=9d1ecbcb24ab3a8322f6e77414a28ad3

http://matilde.ingentaselect.com/vl=559674/cl=14/nw=1/rpsv/cgi-bin/cgi?body=linker&ini=nlm&reqidx=issn=0962-8436vl=355is=1394yr=2000mn=Febpg=179

http://gessler.ingentaselect.com/vl=2066724/cl=47/nw=1/rpsv/cgi-bin/cgi?body=linker&ini=nlm&reqidx=issn=0962-8452vl=266is=1428yr=1999mn=Augpg=1571