Budding

Budding is a way some living things make new individuals without needing another organism. It is a type of asexual reproduction, where a tiny part grows out from the parent and becomes a new being. For example, in yeast, a small bump called a bud appears and eventually becomes a new yeast cell. This new cell is almost exactly like the parent, except for small changes called mutations.

Some animals, like the hydra, also use budding. In hydra, a little out-growth forms from the body of the parent. As it grows, it becomes a tiny version of the parent. When it is ready, it breaks away and lives on its own.

Some parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii, use a special kind of budding that happens inside the parent cell. In this process, new cells form inside the parent, which is then used by these new cells before they separate. There is also a way where one parent can split into many new organisms at once through internal budding.

Cellular reproduction

Some cells split into two parts by a process called budding. An example is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the type of yeast used when making bread or beer. This creates a larger "mother" cell and a smaller "daughter" cell. Scientists have also found that tiny parts inside cells, called mitochondria, can divide in the same way.

Animal reproduction

In some animals with many cells, baby animals can grow out from the parent. Animals that make new babies this way include corals, some sponges, some acoels (for example, Convolutriloba), echinoderm babies, placozoans, symbions, pterobranchians, entoproctans, some polychaetes, bryozoans, tunicates, flatworms and one kind of phoronid.

Colony division

Some bee species, like Apis dorsata, show a behavior called budding. In this process, a group of worker bees leaves their original nest and builds a new one close by. This type of behavior is not common in these bees but has been seen in nature.

Virology

In virology, budding is a way that viruses spread. Some viruses get their outer layer from the host cell. The cell membrane pushes out and wraps around the virus, helping it to move away. This process is important for how these viruses live and spread.

Plant multiplication

See also: Shield budding, Vegetative reproduction, and Chip budding

In farming and garden work, budding means placing the bud from one plant onto another plant. This is a way to grow new plants by joining parts from different plants together.