alleryStart learning →Which structure lets some soil bacteria survive heat and drought until conditions improve?
AAn endospore formed inside the cell
BA flagellum used to swim to water
CA plasmid carrying spare genes
DA pilus anchoring it to a surface
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. An endospore formed inside the cell
1. Almost all prokaryotes have a cell wall, which lets them survive hyper-osmotic and hypo-osmotic conditions.
2. Some soil bacteria go further and form endospores.
3. Endospores resist heat and drought, so the organism survives until favorable conditions return.
4. Flagella move a cell but offer no protection from heat.
5. Plasmids carry extra genes and pili grip surfaces, so neither is a survival capsule.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "Prokaryotes: Bacteria and Archaea", section 22.1 Prokaryotic Diversity_
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