Question

How do archaea reproduce?

Answer 1

Hint: Archaea is a single-celled microorganism with a bacteria-like structure. Evolutionarily, they are different from bacteria and eukaryotes and constitute the third domain of life. Archaea are obligate anaerobes living in oxygen-poor conditions (e.g., water, soil).

Complete answer:
Archaea can divide quickly to produce more cells. This is a kind of reproduction that does not involve sex, which we call asexual reproduction. As with bacteria, the division of cells in archaea is not mitosis. The process of cell division in archaea is completely different and is called binary fission instead. In a prokaryotic cell, there is no nucleus.

The genome of the archaea is mostly contained in a single circular DNA molecule. This DNA is not associated with histone proteins, but has unique DNA binding proteins, so the word chromosome can be used for archaea. The DNA-protein complex can use artificial coloring to appear as a colored body. The genomic chromosome is attached to the cell membrane at one point, just like the bacteria.

Binary fission begins with the replication of the genome by the action of a range of proteins, including DNA polymerase. The genome and the copy are the same thing. They are separated by the movement of proteins that bind them to the fluid mosaic of the cell membrane. By some as yet undetermined mechanism, the genome and its copy end up at the opposite end of the cell.

The cell divides into two by the process of furrowing, a kind of pinching apart from one cell into two cells. In binary fission, there is no synapse of homologous chromosomes, because archaea is fundamentally haploid (they have only the one set of chromosomes). There is no genetic recombination during this process (there is no exchange of DNA between one molecule and another).

So, except for the chance mutation, there is little chance of anything but clonal reproduction here.Since there is no synapse to diploidy, there is no meiosis either. There is no sexual reproduction of any kind in the archaea. However, just like bacteria, archaea does have parasexual recombination. Archaea produces conjugation pili.

Note: It was first thought that most of the archaea were extremophiles, existing at the environmental limits of the abiotic factor range. Recently, it has been found that there are many archaeas living in a wide range of habitats and environmental conditions.