Question

Does mitosis occur in prokaryotes?

Answer 1

Hint: Mitosis is the cell division in which a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells. In this process one cell gives rise to two identical daughter cells. The mitosis mainly occurs for growth and replacement of damaged cells. The number of chromosomes in the daughter cells remain the same as that of the parent, that's why mitosis is also called equational division.

Complete solution:
Binary fission: It is a type of asexual reproduction in which separation of body takes place into 2 new bodies. In binary fission firstly an organism doubles its genetic material and then divides into two parts, each part is a potential organism and has one copy of genetic material.
Generally the fission takes place in a cell but this term may also include how organisms or populations split into two parts. The fission is of two types: A. Binary fission: In this a single cell or organism is split into two parts. B. Multiple fission: In this a cell or organism split into multiple parts.
Fission of prokaryotes:
In prokaryotes, firstly replication of a single DNA molecule takes place then each copy of DNA attaches to different parts of cell membrane. Now the cells start dividing by pulling apart and the replicated and original chromosomes start separating. The cells formed after binary fission are genetically identical. There is no spindle apparatus formed in case of binary fission.

So the answer is 'no', prokaryotes do not undergo mitosis or meiosis. The division in prokaryotic cells is by binary fission. There is similarity between mitosis and binary fission as in both firstly DNA replication takes place and then equational division of genetic material and cytoplasm, but in case of mitosis spindle apparatus is formed which is absent in binary fission.

Note:
Prokaryotes, for example bacteria, divide by binary fission. Among unicellular organisms, cell division is the only method used to produce new organisms. In both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the outcome of cell reproduction is a pair of daughter cells that are genetically identical to the parent cell. In unicellular organisms, daughter cells are individuals. Due to the relative simplicity of the prokaryotes, the cell division process, or binary fission, is a less complicated and much more rapid process than cell division in eukaryotes.