Fig. (6) Live cell time-lapse imaging of highly deviated asymmetric division of mid-log phase M. smegmatis long mother cell. An M. smegmatis long mother cell (blue cell; 9.79 µm) first underwent highly deviated asymmetric division close to one pole (arrow), to generate a short daughter cell (green cell, 2.67 µm) and a longer-sized daughter cell (red cell, 7.84 µm), with the difference of 5.17 µm in their lengths. The longer-sized daughter cell (red cell, 7.84 µm) subsequently showed symmetric division with minor deviation (arrow), generating daughter cells of lengths, 4.59 µm and 4.36 µm (pink and cyan cells), with the difference of 0.23 µm in length between them. The images were observed under DIC. Arrows indicate the site of cell constriction at asymmetric or symmetric position.