3.13 - Binary Fission Flashcards
The process of binary fission in prokaryotic cells How to calculate the growth rate of bacterial populations The conditions required for optimal bacterial growth (11 cards)
What is binary fission?
What does it occur in? What type of Reaction? What is it?
- Prokaryotes
- Asexual reproduction
- Cell division
What happens during binary fission?
Just an overview NOT the steps
A single-celled organism replicates its genetic material and divides
What are the steps of binary fission?
5 steps
- Cell growth - The cell increases in size to prepare for division.
- DNA replication - The circular chromosome is replicated once, and plasmids may be replicated multiple times.
- Movement of DNA - Each replicated circular chromosome moves to opposite poles of the cell, and plasmids are distributed randomly between the two poles.
- Cell wall growth - The cell-surface membrane starts to divide and new cell walls form between the two DNA molecules.
- Cytoplasm division - The cytoplasm of the original cell is divided into two identical daughter cells.
What does each daughter cell contain after binary fission?
One copy of circular DNA and a variable number of plasmids
What do you need to know to calculate bacterial population growth?
3 key things
- The number of cells you start with.
- The mean division time, which is the average time taken for one bacterial cell to divide into two.
- The time period during which the division occurs.
What is the formula for total number of divisions?
Total time / Mean division time
How do you calculate the number of cells produced?
Starting cells * 2^(number of divisions)
What is the mean division time influenced by?
- Temperature
- Moisture
- Nutrients
Faster for all 3 in higher conditions
What is the effect of warm temperatures on bacterial replication?
Faster replication
What is the effect of moist conditions on bacterial replication?
Faster replication
What is the effect of ample nutrients on bacterial replication?
Fast replication
