Figure 5.

Cultivation of E. coli cells in hybrid cells. A tdTomato-expressing E. coli cell (red) was encapsulated in a hybrid cell formed with GFPuv-expressing protoplasts (green). Encapsulated E. coli cells showed active cell division (a) or cell lysis (b). Scale bars indicate 4 μm. (c) Ratios of cells showing active elongation/division or cell lysis. For comparison, corresponding ratios of cells in ALBiC reactors that did not fuse with a protoplast cells are shown as gray bars. Error bars indicate s.e.