Binary Fission Flashcards
1
Q
What is binary fission
A
How prokaryotic cells replicate
2
Q
What is the process of binary fission
A
- Circular DNA and plasmids replicate
- Cell gets bigger and circular DNA strands move to opposite poles of cell
- Cytoplasm divides and two daughter cells are produced each with one copy of circular DNA but can have variable numbers of plasmids
3
Q
What two things help maximise the rate of binary fission
A
Warm environment and lots of nutrients
4
Q
How long does it take for E. coli to replicate
A
20 minutes
5
Q
What happens if conditions in binary fission become unfavourable
A
The cells stop dividing and die
