Genetic Recombination
Recombination is crucial to this process because it allows genes to be reassorted into diverse combinations. Genetic recombination is the process of combining genetic components from two different origins into a single unit. In prokaryotes, genetic recombination takes place by the unilateral transfer of deoxyribonucleic acid. It includes transduction, transformation, and conjugation. The genetic exchange occurring between homologous deoxyribonucleic acid sequences (DNA) from two different sources is termed general recombination. For this to happen, an identical sequence of the two recombining molecules is required. The process of genetic exchange which occurs in eukaryotes during sexual reproduction such as meiosis is an example of this type of genetic recombination.
Microbial Genetics
Genes are the functional units of heredity. They transfer characteristic information from parents to the offspring.
Compare the three mechanisms of gene transfer in bacteria: transformation, conjugation, and transduction.
Gene transfer is the insertion of genetic material in the form of DNA from the cell of one organism to the cell of another organism. Bacteria don’t exchange their genetic materials by meiosis. Bacteria usually exchange small pieces of their genome or a few genes at a time by the three different processes of gene transfer; transformation, conjugation, and transduction.
- Transformation: In this process of bacterial gene transfer DNA is taken by the bacterium from its surrounding environment, usually the DNA which is shed by other bacteria. DNA molecules can be introduced into a bacterium in laboratories as well. In this process if the DNA molecule is present in circular structure then it is known ads plasmid. Plasmid can be copied in the receiver bacterial cell and passed on to the next generation.
- Conjugation: In this gene transfer process the DNA molecule moves from one bacterial cell (donor) to another cell (recipient). In this process the donor bacterial cell pulls itself close to the recipient bacterial cell by using a tube-like structure known as pilus and transfer the DNA into the recipient bacterium.
- Transduction: In this process of bacterial gene transfer bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) are used. These viruses transfer the short pieces of DNA molecules from donor bacterium to recipient bacterium by accident.
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