Table 2.

Impaired activation of σ^E permits mother cell growth^a

Strain	Relevant genotypeb	Frequency (%) of the following developmental fate after asymmetric divisionc:			Total organisms scored
		Monospore (no MC growth)	Abortively disporic (no MC growth)	Escape (MC growth)
SL14826	spoIIRdelay	64	13	22	90
SL14130	spoIIRdelay	60	13	27	126
SL14315	spo+	100	0	0	64
SL14240	spoIIR	0	37	63	103
SL15261	spoIIGB	0	34	66	88

^aBacteria were grown on top of a thin layer of agarose in such a way that single cells grew into sporulating microcolonies, which were monitored by time lapse microscopy (50). Fluorescence images were acquired at periodic intervals for FM4-64 (membrane staining) and GFP (origin location and/or σ^E activity [see the text]). Cell fates were recorded for all organisms that underwent asymmetric division.

^bAll strains contained the Spo0J-GFP fusion for the visualization of chromosome origins. Strain SL14826 contained thrC::P_spoIID-gfp for the visualization of σ^E activity.

^cMC, mother cell.