 The bacterial cell cycle is divided into three stages . The B period occurs between the completion of cell division and the beginning of DNA replication . The C period encompasses the time it takes to replicate the chromosomal DNA . The D period refers to the stage between the conclusion of DNA replication and the end of cell division . The doubling rate of E. coli is higher when more nutrients are available . However , the length of the C and D periods do not change , even when the doubling time becomes less than the sum of the C and D periods . At the fastest growth rates , replication begins before the previous round of replication has completed , resulting in multiple replication forks along the DNA and overlapping cell cycles . 
