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Article: Nucleus
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- Biology
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Nucleus
In eukaryotic cells,
chromosomes
are found in a special compartment called the nucleus. The nucleus is a defining feature of eukaryotic cells, which range from single-celled yeasts to plants and humans. In contrast, bacteria and other prokaryotes are more ancient in evolution and lack a nucleus. The development of the nucleus contributed to the evolution of complex life forms by separating
transcription
(reading of
genes
, occurring inside the nucleus) from
translation
(protein synthesis, occurring in the
cytoplasm
) and by providing a structural framework for organizing and regulating larger
genomes
. In multicellular organisms, individual cells can express different ...