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Filamentation facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

For other uses see "Filament".

Filamentation is the anomalous (not normal) growth of certain bacteria, such as E. coli, in which cells continue to elongate but do not divide (no septa formation). Bacterial filamentation is a defect in completing replication and is observed in bacteria responding to a various stresses. This may happen, for example, when there is extensive DNA damage through the SOS response system. Nutritional change may also cause bacterial filamentation.

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  • Filamentation 2

    A Bacillus cereus cell that has undergone filamentation following antibacterial treatment (upper electron micrograph; top right) and regularly sized cells of untreated B. cereus (lower electron micrograph)

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