Chromosome replication status and DNA content at any cell age in a bacterial cell cycle

An algorithm is presented to determine the chromosome replication status, the rate of DNA synthesis per fork, and the amount of DNA in chromosome equivalents (G) per chromosome, per cell and per age throughout a bacterial cell cycle. This algorithm is the only attempt to study replication and the G value at any cell age since the general model of the bacterial cell cycle by Cooper and Helmstetter (1968, J. Mol. Biol. 31, 619–644). To help using it, two implementations are provided. •An algorithm to determine DNA content at any bacterial cell cycle age is presented.•If C, D and τ are known, G per cell and per chromosome at any cell age is obtained.•If C, D and τ are known, the rate of DNA synthesis per fork at any age is obtained.•A description of the overlapping of the replication rounds can be obtained.•This algorithm provides a tool for analysing in vivo DNA content at any cell age.