REPRODUCTION AND MICROBIAL
GROWTH
1. BINARY FISSION
Most bacteria reproduce asexually by cell
division, involving binary fission. During binary
fission, the single DNA molecule replicates and
both copies attach to the cell membrane.
The cell membrane begins to grow between the
two DNA molecules. A cell wall then forms
between the two DNA molecules dividing the
original cell into two identical daughter cells.
Cell wall
Origin of
replication Plasma
membrane
E. coli cell
Bacterial
Two copies chromosome
1. Chromosome replication begin of origin
origin moves rapidly towards the 1
other end of the cell.
2. Replication continues. Meanwhile, Origin Origin
the cell elongates.
2
3. Replication finishes. Septum
[Link] plasma membrane grows
inwards. Anew cell wall is
deposited. 3
4. Two daughter cell result
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2. BUDDING
A group of environmental bacteria reproduces
by budding. In this process a small bud forms at
one end of the mother cell or on filaments called
prosthecae. As growth proceeds, the size of the
mother cell remains about constant, but the bud
enlarges.
When the bud is about the same size as the
mother cell, it separates. This type of
reproduction is analogue to that in budding
fungi, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Reproduction by budding in bacteria
3. FRAGMENTATION
Mostly during unfavourable conditions bacterial
protoplasm undergoes compartmentalization and
subsequent fragmentation, forming minute
bodies called gonidia. Under favourable
conditions, each gonidium grows to a new
bacterium. It becomes apparent that prior to
fragmentation the bacterial
genome has to undergo repeated replication so
that each fragment gets a copy of it.
♣ Most fungi reproduce Asexually and
Sexually by spores
♣ ASEXUAL reproduction is most common
method & produces genetically identical
organisms
♣ Fungi reproduce SEXUALLY when
conditions are poor & nutrients scarce
THREE TYPES OF ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
♣ Fragmentation – part of the mycelium becomes
separated & begins a life of its own
♣ Budding – a small cell forms & gets pinched off
as it grows to full size
♣ Used by yeasts
♣ Asexual spores – production of spores by a single
mycelium
Asexual REPRODUCTION
Asexual spores are formed by the aerial
mycelium of one organism, through
mitosis and subsequent cell division; there
is no fusion of the nuclei of cells.
When these spores germinate, they
become organisms that are genetically
identical to the parent.
Several types of asexual spores are
produced by fungi.
Main types of asexual spores
Name of fungus Location of Examples
spores
Chlamydospore External Mucor racemosus
Arthrospore External Geotrichum candidum
Conidiospore External Aspergillus niger
Penicillium notatum
Sporangiospore Internal Rhizopus oryzae
Sporangiospor
es
Sporangiospores are
formed within a
sporangium
Conidiospores
Conidiospores are free spores arranged in chains
at the end of a conidiophore. They are not
enclosed by a spore-bearing sac
Chlamydospore
s
Chlamydospores are thick-walled big resting
spores formed within hyphae or at hyphal tips.
Representative fungi include ascomycota such
as Candida and basidiomycota such as Panus.
It is the life-stage which survives in
unfavourable conditions, such as dry or hot
seasons.
Arthrospores Arthrospores are formed by
the breaking up or
disarticulation of fungal hyphae
at the cross walls.
The hyphal wall thickened
and the cells separate before
swelling of each spore.
Many yeast-like fungi such as
the genera Geotricum and
Trichosporon form
arthrospores.
Phialospores
One of a chain of spores produce
d successively on phialides,
sterigma or phialophores (a flask
shaped projection from the
conidiophore of certain fungi).
Example are Penicillium,
Acremonium, Phialospora
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Blastospore
This is a fungal spore
produced by budding of a
hypha or yeast cell. Both
wall layers are involved.
The spore may remain
attached and bud further -
giving rise to a branched
chain of spores.
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Porospore
A spore produced by an
extension of the inner wall of
the hyphal cell and extrusion
through a microscopic pore in
the wall of the conidiophore.
Only the inner layer of the
hyphal wall is involved in spore
development.
The new spore then develops
its own new inner wall layer.
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Macroconidia and microconidia
Macroconidia are large conidium
mostly borne laterally directly on the hyphae
or on short pedicels, and are thin- or thick-
walled. They contain two or more cells.
Examples include Trychophyton,
Microsporum, Epidermophyton
Microconidia are spherical, or of
irregular shape and are much smaller than
macroconidia. They are one-celled. Notable
example is, Trychophyton
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Sexual spores result from the fusion of nuclei
from two opposite mating strains of the same
species of fungus. Organisms that grow from
sexual spores will have genetic characteristics
of both parental strains.
A fungal sexual spore results from sexual
reproduction, consisting of three phases:
1. A haploid nucleus of a donor cell (+) penetrates
the cytoplasm of a recipient cell (Plasmogamy).
2. The (+) and (-) nuclei fuse to form a diploid
zygote nucleus (Karyogamy).
3. By meiosis, the diploid nucleus gives rise to
haploid nuclei (sexual spores), some of which
may be genetic recombinants (Meiosis).
Several types of sexual spores
Oospores
Zygospores
Ascospores
Basidiospores
REPRODUCTION IN YEASTS
Reproduce by mitosis:
Fission yeasts: Divide evenly to produce two new cells
(Schizosaccharomyces).
Budding yeasts: Divide unevenly by budding
(Saccharomyces).Budding yeasts can form pseudohypha, a
short chain of undetached cells. Candida albicans invade tissues
through pseudohyphae.
