Asexual Reproduction
2 Types of Reproduction
● Sexual- 2 parents, sperm & egg, mix of
genes
● Asexual- 1 parent, offspring identical to
parent
Binary Fission
● Asexual reproduction used by
single-celled prokaryotes
● Different than mitosis
○ Prokaryotes have
■ no nucleus
■ DNA in a circle shape
(1 chromosome)
■ no spindle fibers
Binary Fission Process
● Chromosome is
copied and attaches
to the cell
membrane
Binary Fission Process
● Cell grows, pulling
chromosomes apart
● Cytokinesis
● New cell wall forms
Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction
Asexual
Sexual
● Less energy and
time needed
● Can quickly
populate a stable
environment
● Identical genes
● Genetic diversity
● More complex
● Allows for more
adaptations to a
changing
environment
Eukaryotes & Asexual Reproduction Through Mitosis
● Most eukaryotes that reproduce asexually
can also reproduce sexually
● Binary fission can occur in single-celled
protists and fungi
Eukaryotes & Asexual Reproduction Through Mitosis
● Budding- a small
offspring grows off
of the parent
organism
○ yeast
○ hydra
○ sea anenome
Eukaryotes & Asexual Reproduction Through Mitosis
● Fragmentation- an
organism is broken
into pieces, and
the pieces form new
organisms
○ flatworms
○ starfish
Eukaryotes & Asexual Reproduction Through Mitosis
● Vegetative
reproduction- new
plants made without
seeds or spores
○ shoots can be cut
and grafted to
make new plants