Reproduction of bacteria, fungi and viruses

• Asexual reproduction


  Process resulting in the reproduction of a genetically identical offspring from one parent
• Bacteria


  • Binary Fission is a fast process that only happens in eukaryotic cells
• Binary Fission in bacteria

  1. DNA of bacterium uncoil and duplicate

  2. New cell wall and cell membrane grow

  3. Cytoplasm splits in half

  4. New daughter cells have tightly coiled DNA, ribosomes and plasmids, these are new organisms
• The bacteria cells are GENETICALLY IDENTICAL
• Fungi


  • Reproduce sexually and asexually and usually involve spores
  • Asexual spores are may be free in the tips of hyphae
  • Yeast reproduce asexually by budding
• Yeast asexual reproduction by budding


  A new cell forms at the surface of the original cell, enlarges, and then breaks free
• The new yeast cell is GENETICALLY identical
• Advantages of asexual reproduction

  • Faster
  • Only needs 1 parent
  • No genetic variation
• Disadvantages of asexual reproduction

  • Faster
  • Only needs 1 parent
  • No genetic variation
• Virus replication


  1. Virus injects their DNA or RNA into the cell

  2. Using the host cell machinery, it replicates its own DNA or RNA

  3. The virus also makes copies of its protein coat

  4. The viruses are 'put together' (ie. the DNA/RNA inside the protein coat)

  5. Once packaged, the viruses and released from the cell

  6. Often the host cell is destroyed in the process