In most bacteria, what is the primary process used for asexual reproduction, producing two genetically identical daughter cells from one parent cell?

• A. Mitosis
• B. Meiosis
• C. Binary fission
• D. Budding

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that asexual reproduction in bacteria involves producing offspring without the fusion of gametes, resulting in genetically identical cells.
2. Recall that mitosis and meiosis are processes of cell division primarily found in eukaryotic cells, not bacteria, which are prokaryotes.
3. Recognize that binary fission is the process by which most bacteria reproduce asexually, involving the replication of the bacterial chromosome followed by division of the cytoplasm.
4. Note that during binary fission, the bacterial DNA is duplicated, and the cell elongates before splitting into two daughter cells, each genetically identical to the parent.
5. Differentiate binary fission from budding, which is another form of asexual reproduction but less common in bacteria and involves the formation of a new organism from a protrusion on the parent.