From Shuter approach
In this course we will examine the cell by the activity and relative amount of six functional components.
Breakdown by functional component for a cyanobacterial cell:
| abbrev. | % of total cell | Functional Component (% of total cell) | biochemical composition |
| S | 20% | Stucture, cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus and DNA | lipopolysacc = 2% |
| Pmemb & Penz | 35% | Photosynthetic membranes and Calvin cycle enzymes | about 4 or 5 layers of lipid membranes = 15% proteins in membrane = 15% soluble proteins (enzymes) = 5% |
| Enz | 40% | Enzymatic and biosynthetic machinery necessary for respiration and growth | RNA in ribosomes = 20% soluble proteins = 20% |
| Nassim | several % at most | nutrient assimilation | transmembrane proteins for transport intracellular enzymes in the assimilation pathways |
| Res | 5% | nutrient or energy reserves, storage | glycogen for energy and CO2 metabolism |