Introduction

Prokaryotes, such as bacteria, produce progeny by binary fission. In bacterial cells, the genome consists of a single, circular DNA chromosome; therefore, the process of cell division is simplified. The more complicated process used by Eukaryotes is unnecessary because there is no true nucleus and thus no need to direct one copy of the multiple chromosomes into each progeny cell. This simple type of cell division is called binary fission.

Learning

Binary Fission

Due to the relative simplicity of the Prokaryotes, the cell division process is a less complicated and much more rapid process than cell division in Eukaryotes. The genomic DNA must be replicated and then allocated into the progeny cells; the cytoplasmic contents must also be divided to give both new cells the cellular machinery to sustain life.

In binary fission of Prokaryotes the circular chromosme begins to replicate at one point and continues in both directions. The cell then begins to elongate and proteins called FtsZ (located in the cytoplasm) start to migrate toward the center of the elongated cell. The duplicated chromosomes than seperate and move away from each other. The FtsZ proteins gather together at the center of the cell and join together. These proteins form the new plasma membrane and cell wall. As this septum is completed the cytoplasm pinches into two, forming two identical progeny cells.

Sources:

“Prokaryotic Cell Division.” By OpenStax Biology 2e. Retrieved from: https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/10-5-prokaryotic-cell-division/ Licensed under: CC-BY: Attribution