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How does Escherichia coli reproduce?
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Bacteria
A scanning electron micrograph of gram-positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, the cause of tuberculosis and scrofula.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) reproduces asexually through a process known as binary fission.12
During this process, the bacterium grows in volume and replicates its circular chromosome. As the cell prepares to divide, the two copies of DNA move apart to opposite sides of the cell. In gram-negative bacteria like E. coli, the cell walls are flexible, allowing the division septum to form as the side walls pinch inward. This results in the cell dividing in half to produce two genetically similar daughter cells.13
Under favorable conditions, this reproductive cycle allows E. coli populations to increase rapidly. While reproduction is asexual, genetic variation can still occur through mutation or the acquisition of new genetic material.12