Bacteria reproduce by binary?

Question

bacteria reproduce by binary fission, essentially generating clones of themselves, while humans and most higher organisms use sexual reproduction to generate offspring. What are the pros and cons of each method? Discuss the similarities and differences between the two approaches.

Answer 1

Asexual Reproduction:

Pros: You don't have to spend energy finding a mate

Your offspring get all of your DNA so it isn't diluted with someone else's

Your particular genotype managed to do pretty well if you're able to reproduce, so it must be adapted to the environment, therefore, it should serve your offspring well

Cons:  You can't make new genetic combinations so if the environment changes, your offspring are stuck with the old model

You can't eliminate mutations from your genetic lineage

Sexual Reproduction - the pros and cons are the reverse from asexual

Similarities:

Both produce offspring

Both involve cell division

Differences:

Only sexual reproduction involves meiosis

Only sexual reproduction can combine genes from different organisms (they don't have to be from different organisms since self-fertilization is also sexual reproduction)