AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Sexual reproduction is unheard of in bacteria. They do not produce male and female gametes and a fusion of gametes does not take place.

Detailed explanation-2: -So, bacteria can’t reproduce sexually, but they can exchange genetic information with each other. Using a pilus, two bacteria make contact with each other and exchange genetic material. This is called conjugation. Some bacteria simply take up DNA which is floating around in their environment.

Detailed explanation-3: -Bacteria and archaea reproduce asexually by splitting one cell into two equal halves in a process called binary fission (Figure 1).

Detailed explanation-4: -(i) It involves a single parent. (ii) It is slower than sexual reproduction. (iii) It produces progeny that are genetically identical with the parent but not with one another. (iv) The progeny of asexual reproduction can be termed as clones.

Detailed explanation-5: -Though bacteria are predominantly asexual, the genetic information in their genomes can be expanded and modified through mechanisms that introduce DNA from outside sources. Bacterial sex differs from that of eukaryotes in that it is unidirectional and does not involve gamete fusion or reproduction.