Video Transcript
Which process occurs during binary
fission in bacteria? (A) Chromosome duplication, (B)
mitosis, (C) meiosis, (D) sporogony, or (E) budding.
Reproduction is the process by
which organisms produce offspring. It can occur either sexually or
asexually. You might be more familiar with
sexual reproduction, which usually involves gametes from two parents fusing to form
a zygote. Sexual reproduction is associated
with high levels of genetic variation in the offspring it produces, which can make
populations that utilize this method of reproduction more resilient to environmental
changes.
Some species can reproduce
asexually, which involves the production of offspring that are genetically identical
to the single parent that produced them. While asexual reproduction is
faster than sexual reproduction, the level of genetic variation in the offspring it
produces is much lower. Asexual reproduction can occur
through a variety of methods, for example, budding, regeneration, parthenogenesis,
sporogenesis, binary fission, or vegetative propagation.
This question focuses on binary
fission in bacteria, so let’s take a closer look at this process. Unlike the cells of eukaryotic
organisms like humans, single-celled prokaryotes, like bacteria, do not have a
membrane-bound nucleus that contains their genetic material. Instead, their DNA is found in a
region called the nucleoid in the form of circular chromosomes.
To undergo binary fission, first,
the prokaryotic cell duplicates its chromosome. Next, the cell undergoes
cytokinesis, which is a division of the cytoplasm. This results in two genetically
identical daughter cells.
If we take a look back at the
answer choices, we can see that the correct answer is (A). The process that occurs during
binary fission in bacteria is chromosome duplication.
