Binary fission

Question 1

The process of cell division (binary fission) in prokaryotic cells is much simpler than mitosis in eukaryotic cells
Prokaryotic cells do not possess

Answer 1

A nucleus
Chromosomes
Membrane-bound organelles
Spindle fibres

Question 2

They have a single, circular DNA molecule and plasmids
Plasmids are

Answer 2

smaller, circular DNA molecules that are also replicated and inherited

The number of copies of plasmids that each cell inherits can vary, although this number is regulated

Question 3

Binary fission is substantially different from mitosis as there is

Answer 3

no nuclear envelope to breakdown and there are no spindle fibres present

Question 4

first step of binary fission The single, circular DNA molecule undergoes

Answer 4

DNA replication

Question 5

step 2 Any plasmids present undergo

Answer 5

replication

Question 6

step 3 The parent cell

Answer 6

divides into two cells, with the cytoplasm roughly halved between the two daughter cells

Question 7

The two daughter cells each contain

Answer 7

a single copy of the circular DNA molecule and a variable number of plasmids

Question 8

The daughter cells produced by binary fission can have a different number of plasmid copies but they are still genetically identical! This is because they still contain the same genetic code (DNA base sequences) they just have more or less identical copies of that code.