Question

What do you mean by recombination in bacteria?

Answer 1

Recombination in bacteria:

1. The transfer of genetic material from one bacterial cell to another is known as the recombination in bacteria.
2. The three types of recombination in bacteria are Transformation, Transduction, and Conjugation.

Transformation:

1. Bacterial cell takes up foreign DNA from the environment.
2. Transferring the free DNA which is liberated from the donor (bacteria) to the extracellular surrounding results in assimilation and typically an expression of the hence acquired characteristic in the recipient bacteria.
3. This phenomenon is called bacterial transformation.

Transduction:

1. A virus or bacteriophage moves DNA from one bacterial cell to another. When certain proviruses turn into virulent viruses whereby causing lysis of the host cell, they may carry with it segments of the host’s DNA.
2. Such virus particles carrying a segment of the DNA from one host infect another host that is different from first, latter may inherit some of the properties of former host due to the transfer of DNA segment through the infecting phase.
3. This phenomenon of the transfer of genetic material from one bacterial strain to the other by the agency of the virus is called as transduction.

Conjugation:

1. DNA gets transferred between two bacterial cells through a tube.
2. Conjugation is an exchange of the genetic materials within two cells that is in direct contact with each other or by forming a temporary bridge-like connection between two cells. In conjugation, one cell act as a donor & another cell acts as a recipient.
3. Bacteria exchange their own genetic materials by this process. It is termed as sexual reproduction of bacteria as two cells are involved and mate with each other for their exchange.