Bacterial Cell Division (Process)

Bacterial cell division is the process by which bacteria reproduce, most commonly through binary fission. This process involves cell growth, DNA replication, chromosome segregation, septum formation, and cell separation. The central molecular player is FtsZ, a tubulin-like GTPase that forms the Z-ring, which serves as a scaffold for the divisome complex. The divisome recruits proteins to coordinate division site marking, enzymatic machinery recruitment, cell wall synthesis activation, and membrane fusion. Regulation mechanisms such as nucleoid occlusion and the SOS response ensure proper chromosome segregation and genomic integrity. While binary fission is predominant, some bacteria exhibit variations in their divisome composition depending on species-specific factors.

Other names

Binary FissionSeptation