In Leishmania, binary fission occurs in a definite orientation in relation to the whip-like structure at one end of the cell, indicating a specific organization during division.
What is the specific orientation of binary fission in relation to structures in Leishmania?
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Leishmania, a protozoan parasite, undergoes a unique form of binary fission known as “asymmetric binary fission.” In Leishmania, the site of cell division is specific and occurs near the flagellar pocket, an invagination in the cell membrane. This asymmetric division results in one daughter cell that retains the original flagellum and kinetoplast (mitochondrial DNA), while the other daughter cell acquires a new flagellum and kinetoplast. The flagellar pocket plays a crucial role in this process by serving as the site for DNA replication and segregation, ensuring the inheritance of essential cellular structures in the two daughter cells.