Bacterial Reproduction
Reproduction
• When conditions are favourable bacteria
can reproduce every 20 minutes
• In 48 hours a single bacterial cell could
become culture 4000 times the mass of
the earth
• Thankfully the food supply is limited and
this does not happen
Binary Fission
• When a cell has almost doubled in size it
will replicate its DNA and divide in half
• This produces 2 identical daughter cells
• Binary fission is a form of asexual
reproduction
• Asexual reproduction does not invovle the
exchange of genetic material
Conjugation
• Is a form of sexual reproduciton
• Genetic Information is exchanged between
individuals
• A long bridge of proteins forms between
two bacterial cells
• DNA is transferred from one cell (donor) to
another (recipient)
Spore Formation
• Bacteria form spores during unfavourable
conditions
• One type is called an endospore
– Cell forms a thick internal wall the encloses its
DNA
• Spores can remain dormant for months
until conditions improve