Question

Which of the following statement is correct for bacterial transduction?

• A. Transfer of some genes from one bacteria to another bacteria through virus.
• B. Transfer of genes from one bacteria to another bacteria by conjugation.
• C. Bacteria obtain DNA directly.
• D. Bacteria obtain DNA from the surroundings.

Answer 1

The correct option is A Transfer of some genes from one bacteria to another bacteria through virus.

In transduction, DNA is transferred from one bacterium to other by a bacterial virus (bacteriophage). Bacterial transduction occurs in two ways:

• Restricted or Specialised transduction: It involves the recombination between the chromosomes of the host and bacteriophage which results in the formation of a bacteriophage chromosome containing a segment of bacterial DNA. These phages are called transducing phages and on infecting other bacterial cells, they transfer the DNA into the bacterial cells.
  
• Generalised transduction: In this, any gene of the donor cell can be transferred to the recipient cell. Sometimes the bacterial DNA brought by the phage fails to integrate into bacterial genome but expresses itself, the transduction is said to be abortive.
  

Hence, whether the transduction is specialized or generalized, there is always a transfer of genetic material from one bacterial cell to another bacterial cell by means of a virus. So, the correct answer is 'Transfer of some genes from one bacteria to another bacteria through virus'.