Microbiology Workshop

MICROBIAL REPRODUCTION

• When conditions ideal micro-organisms have the potential to multiply rapidly.
• If food available, micro-organisms can rapidly colonize and utilize it.

EUKARYOTIC REPRODUCTION

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION (Asexual reproduction)

• offspring are identical to the single parent
• enables quick use of a substrate

    ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN FUNGI
      - each fungal cell has potential to separate from hypha and produce a new colony
      - spores and conidia - specialised cells produced for dispersal

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION (Sexual Reproduction)

• offspring have genetic components from two parents
• provides genetic variety to enable colonisation of slightly different substrates

    SEXUAL REPRODUCTION IN FUNGI, ALGAE AND PROTISTS
      - various mechanisms used to unite the DNA from two different parents to produce new offspring

PROKARYOTIC REPRODUCTION

Introduction of genetic variation

• mutation- immediately expressed since bacteria haploid
• integration of new genetic material
• transformation of free genetic material
• conjugation - transfer of DNA by plasmid
• transduction - transfer of DNA by bacteriophage
• rapid rate of replication; new genes and gene combinations appear and spread quickly.

Reproduction without genetic variation - Fission

• very rapid
• progeny have chromosome identical to original parent