Question

Transduction is a process of

• A. Uptake of exogenous DNA by microbe
• B. Sexual transfer of DNA from two microbes
• C. Transfer of genetic material through a bacteriophage or a virus
• D. Uptake of exogenous DNA by microbe and Sexual transfer of DNA from two microbes

Hint:

• Main mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria:
  • Transformation Uptake of naked DNA from the environment.
  • Transduction Transfer of DNA by a bacteriophage.
  • Conjugation Transfer of DNA through direct cell-to-cell contact (via a pilus).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Transduction is a process in biotechnology that involves the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another through the agency of a bacteriophage or a virus. This process generally occurs in the following steps:

1. A bacteriophage, a type of virus that infects bacteria, attaches to a bacterial cell and injects its viral DNA.
2. The viral DNA causes the bacterial machinery to produce viral components, leading to the assembly of new bacteriophages.
3. During the assembly process, fragments of the host bacterium's DNA may accidentally become incorporated into a new bacteriophage.
4. When this bacteriophage infects another bacterium, it introduces bacterial DNA from the previous host into the new recipient cell.
5. This transferred DNA may then become integrated into the recipient bacterium's genome, potentially bringing about genetic changes.

Therefore, among the given options, transduction is specifically characterized by the transfer of genetic material through a bacteriophage or a virus.