NIC Cosmetology Written (Theory) ExamScientific ConceptsMedium
Which of the following describes the process by which bacteria divide and multiply?
- ABinary fission
- BMitosis
- CBudding
- DMeiosis
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Binary fission
Bacteria reproduce asexually through a process called binary fission, where a single bacterium divides into two identical daughter cells. This is a rapid and efficient method of multiplication.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Mitosis is a process of cell division in eukaryotic cells that produces two genetically identical daughter cells; bacteria are prokaryotes and do not undergo mitosis.
- C. Budding is a form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud due to cell division at one particular site; it is common in yeast and some other organisms, but not the primary method for bacteria.
- D. Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the number of chromosomes in the parent cell by half and produces four gamete cells; it is involved in sexual reproduction of eukaryotes, not bacteria.
Bacterial Reproduction
The process by which bacteria multiply, primarily through asexual division.
- Occurs through binary fission.
- One parent cell divides into two identical daughter cells.
- Can happen very rapidly under ideal conditions.
Memory trick: Asexuals are 'Simple Splitters' but 'Budding' is 'Bumpy'!