Darwinbots Forum

General => Biology => Topic started by: Greven on October 12, 2005, 04:04:05 PM

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Greven on October 12, 2005, 04:04:05 PM

Just a simple question:

How does a cell/bacteria determine when to reproduce???

Is it determined by a gene or a few (or a million, doesnt matter) that:
"You now have one trillion energy/ATP, reproduce now!!!"
or
Is it a slow progress, were it creates the nessary enzymes all the time, and then a point with enough enzyme it splits into two?

or what???

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: PurpleYouko on October 12, 2005, 04:10:34 PM

I suspect the second option but What do I know? I am just a research chemist.

Seriously I know bugger all about biology

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Greven on October 12, 2005, 04:34:29 PM

Were is Shvarz when we need HIM!!!!!!!!!!!1

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: shvarz on October 12, 2005, 04:39:55 PM

Sorry, turns out I was logged off and did not see any new topics :)

The decision to divide is one of the most complex ones in cell's life.  There is a huge number of factors involved.  And it depends on the type of cell as well.  Some cells in our body never divide, others divide constantly - it is not a matter of energy supply, it is a matter of what the organism as a whole needs.

If we are talking about single-cell bacteria, like E.coli, then it's a different situation.  When I grow bacteria in rich media, they divide every 40 minutes.  Most of the time is spent on copying and correctly separating DNA.

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Botsareus on October 12, 2005, 04:40:29 PM

Graven since you don't reply to my pms , you sayed you had ideas how to make smexe more positively selective, what are they?

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Griz on October 12, 2005, 04:46:07 PM

you can find answers to almost anything here:
http://www.answers.com/ (http://www.answers.com/)
and how stuff works:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/index.htm (http://www.howstuffworks.com/index.htm)

for a start on cell growth ... try:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_growth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_growth)

~griz~

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Greven on October 12, 2005, 04:49:14 PM

Hey easy Bots! I am still thinking! Give it some time, but it is difficult to find perfect ideas for things you never have seen... Think about that!

Then to Shvarz!
But how???? In DB it is just some sort of "You have 5000 energy, divide now", but what in real bateria!? Please if you have any info, websites, articles, whatever please post them, I really like to learn this, no matter how hard it is!

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Numsgil on October 12, 2005, 05:14:24 PM

Cell phases are, (I had to cheat with Griz's links, but I knew at one point):

Grow phase -> Reproduce DNA phase -> Divide -> Grow phase...

In DB, the Reproduce DNA phase and Divide phases are combined into one tight little package of 1 cycle.

Which alters the dynamics of our cells slightly, but not terribly.

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: Greven on October 12, 2005, 06:14:33 PM

Thx alot, that will help!

Title: How does a cell reproduce!??
Post by: ollj on December 22, 2005, 02:06:36 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclin-dependent_kinase (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclin-dependent_kinase)