Reproduction in bacteria

Reproduction is the biological process by which organisms give birth or give rise to a new organism

Organisms reproduce in two ways - sexual and asexual.

Sexual reproduction involves two organisms of the same species, each supplying half the genes for the descendant.

Asexual reproduction only involves a single organism; it works by division (or splitting) of the cell.

Some organisms can either reproduce sexually or asexually. Most bacteria reproduce by asexual reproduction.

It works by division (or splitting) of the bacterial cell. This is also called cell fission or cell division.

Cell division in bacteria works in multiple steps.

First the circular DNA duplicates. Then the cell expands and the two DNA are pulled apart, one in each cell.

Finally, the cell constricts at the middle separating the two cells.

Depending on the type of bacteria the two daughter cells may either remain attached or may separate to form two independent cells.

Bacteria reproduce very fast by dividing at a fast rate, once every half an hour.

At this rate of division starting with a single bacterium, we will have approximately 281 trillion bacteria at the end of 24 hours!.

Occasionally few bacteria reproduce by a highly primitive type of sexual reproduction. This proces is called as Conjugation

Let's learn about conjugation

In this type of primitive sexual reproduction, two bacteria of different strains but of the same species come together.

These different strains of bacteria reproduce by coming together or conjugation

In this process, the plasmid of the donor bacteria is transferred into the recipient bacteria.

This transfer takes place through a hollow tubelike extension of the donor cell, called the sex pilus.

Conjugation process occurs in very few bacteria and is very rare.

E. coli bacteria reproduce in this way by the exchange of genetic material.

Conjugation is a convenient means for transferring genetic material to a variety of targets and used widely in genetic engineering.

Some bacteria reproduce by spore formation

Let's Learn more about endospore type of reproduction

Spore are units of sexual or asexual reproduction that are adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time.

Bacterial spores are not part of a sexual cycle but are resistant structures used for survival under unfavorable conditions.

When the conditions become favorable, they develop into a new organism.

Transduction and transformation are two other processes of recombination

In Transformation, incorporation of DNA from one bacterium into another results in the development of a new genotype.

The transformation process

The transfer of DNA fragment from one bacteria into the other with the help of a bacteriophage is called transduction

Transduction process

An overview of all three types of recombination in bacteria.

Revision

Sexual reproduction involves two organisms of the same species, each supplying half the genes for the descendant.

Asexual reproduction only involves a single organism; it works by division (or splitting) of the cell. Bacteria reproduce asexually.

It works by division (or splitting) of the bacterial cell. This is also called cell fission or cell division.

Depending on the type of bacteria the two daughter cells may either remain attached or may separate from as independent cells.

Occasionally few bacteria reproduce by a highly primitive type of sexual reproduction called conjugation.

Conjugation is a convenient means for transferring genetic material to a variety of targets and used widely in genetic engineering.

In Transformation, incorporation of DNA from one bacterium into another results in the development of a new genotype.

Transduction is a process of transfer of DNA fragment from one bacteria into the other with the help of a bacteriophage

The End