The Student Room Group
Reply 1
alio
hi could some1 plz explain binary fission with bacteria as my notes are vague. im doing A2 aqa spec B
thanks


i think its when bacteria bind for defence
Reply 2
horrorboy
i think its when bacteria bind for defence


Binary fission is the method by which bacteria reproduce (asexually, not that they can do sexual reproduction, but they can exchange genetic material by horizontal gene transfer). I'm a bit hazy on the precise details of the process... you should refer to a good book, like Biological Sciences 1 or 2.
Reply 3
Here's a rough guide in bullets - but it's best seen in a diagram which can be found on this link:http://www.arvanitakis.com/en/bio/binary_fission_.htm - bit crude but if u copy it into word and make it bigger it should be ok.

The vircular bacterial chromosome divides but there is no mitotic spindle. The chromosome attaches itself to the cell membrane or in some cases to the mesosome

A spetum starts to be synthesised to divide the cell. This often starts growing where there are mesosomes.

The septum continues to grow right across the cell, dividing it into two daughter cells.



As said above Binary fission does not provide bacteria with a way to exchange genetic information between individuals. Bacteria transfer genetic material by means of a process called conjugation, in which one bacterium attaches itself to another bacterium and introduces DNA directly into it by means of a pilus.

Hope this is helpful!
Reply 5


hey thanks loads i thought it was more complicated than that but it musn't be :smile: oh well ere's sum rep ive gotta give it to some1
Reply 6
It prob is more complex in all the details - but thast all u need for aqa spec B anyways
Reply 7
random_name
Here's a rough guide in bullets - but it's best seen in a diagram which can be found on this link:http://www.arvanitakis.com/en/bio/binary_fission_.htm - bit crude but if u copy it into word and make it bigger it should be ok.

The vircular bacterial chromosome divides but there is no mitotic spindle. The chromosome attaches itself to the cell membrane or in some cases to the mesosome

A spetum starts to be synthesised to divide the cell. This often starts growing where there are mesosomes.

The septum continues to grow right across the cell, dividing it into two daughter cells.



As said above Binary fission does not provide bacteria with a way to exchange genetic information between individuals. Bacteria transfer genetic material by means of a process called conjugation, in which one bacterium attaches itself to another bacterium and introduces DNA directly into it by means of a pilus.

Hope this is helpful!


They also transfer information via transduction (donor DNA free in the environment) and translation (donor DNA from virus). Not that it's got anything to do with binary fission. This is a good explaination of what it is above.
Reply 8
look up the 'fission' yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe for good references on binary fission.

I'll see if I can locate some decent links for you.

The fact that certain yeast families also partake in binary fission should tell you that it's not just a bacterial (prokaryotic) phenomenon. If you note this, you should get brownie points...
Reply 9
one of the best pombe resources:

http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~forsburg/lab.html

is bound to have a movie on binary fission on.