| 1. Reproduction is rapid. |
| 2. Many progeny are produced. |
| 3. The haploid genome allows all mutations to be expressed directly. |
| 4. Asexual reproduction simplifies the isolation of genetically pure strains. |
| 5. Growth in the laboratory is easy and requires little space. |
| 6. Genomes are small. |
| 7. Techniques are available for isolating and manipulating bacterial genes. |
| 8. They have medical importance. |
| 9. They can be genetically engineered to produce substances of commercial value. |