Binary Fission

• How do prokaryotic cells replicate?

  by binary fission
• What happens during binary fission?

  the cell replicates its genetic material, before physically splitting into 2 daughter cells
• give the 4 steps of binary fission?

  1. Circular DNA & plasmids replicate. the main DNA loop is only replicated twice, but plasmids can be replicated loads of times
  2. cell gets bigger & the DNA loops move to opposite poles of cell
  3. Cytoplasm begins to divide and new cell walls begin to form
  4. Cytoplasm divides and 2 daughter cells are produced.
• what does each daughter cell have?

  one copy of the circular DNA

  but can have a VARIABLE number of copies of the PLASMIDS
• what is step 1 of binary fission?

  the circular DNA and plasmids replicate

  the main DNA loop is only replicated once, but plasmids can be replicated loads of times
• what is step 2 of binary fission?

  The cell gets bigger and the DNA loops move to opposite poles of the cell
• what is step 3 of binary fission?

  The cytoplasm begins to divide and new cell walls begin to form
• what is step 4 of binary fission?

  the cytoplasm divides and 2 daughter cells are produced