Why is binary fission so effective for bacteria?
1 Answer
Binary Fission
Asexual reproduction in unicellular organisms in which a single cell divides to form a two new cells. It is like mitosis.
Benefits of Binary Fission
1- Only one parent is needed to reproduce.
2- Rapid division eg. Escherichia coli can divide every 20 minutes.
3- Daughter cells are clones of their parent cells.
4- A lot of daughter cells are produced in a limited time.
Binary Fission in Bacteria
When we study the mode of life bacteria it is seen that binary fission best suits the survival of this kingdom. The environment that bacteria live in is very harsh and there is a tough competition for survival.
The is a limited amount of food and predators lurking everywhere. So for the species to survive it should have a effective and fast way to reproduce and for bacteria "Binary Fission" is the answer.
Binary Fission's benefits for Bacteria
1- No need to waste time in mating because binary fission needs only one parent.
2-The time between two consecutive binary fission is less that of eukaryotes.
3-Daughter cells posses all the same characteristics as their parents.
4-A single bacterium by multiple fission (many binary fission)
can produce many new bacteria in a limited amount of time.
A fatal drawback of Binary Fission
A fatal drawback of binary fission is that since there is no genetic recombination the species can not survive the changes in their environment and the whole population is wiped out.
This drawback of binary fission works wonders for us because it stops overpopulation of bacteria.
