Genetics Lecture Notes Genes are the language of heredity. Bacteria have usually one circular chromosome. No pairs in bacteria so not diploid. The bacterial chromosome is not in a nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane as in eucaryotes, it is free in the cytoplasm. Combination of all the DNA called the genome.
Genomes vary in size.
E. coli has 3,000 genes on their one chromosome while we have about 100,000 genes on our 46. Packaging all these genes difficult. Like two T trains at a station, one inbound and one outbound. Cell simply divides in half but before it does it must duplicate all its essential structures, primarily the chromosome. Can't just give half the genes to the new cell since it only has 1 copy of each.