Transdukci

Transdukci, also known as transduction, is a biological and biochemical process where genetic material is transferred from one organism or cell to another through a virus or a similar vector. This mechanism plays a significant role in horizontal gene transfer among bacteria and contributes to genetic variation within microbial populations.

In the context of molecular biology, transduction typically involves a bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria. During the infection cycle, a phage may accidentally incorporate fragments of the host bacterium's DNA into its viral particles. When this phage infects a new bacterial cell, it introduces this foreign genetic material, leading to genetic recombination. There are two main types of transduction: generalized and specialized. Generalized transduction involves the transfer of any part of the bacterial genome, while specialized transduction involves specific DNA segments adjacent to the prophage insertion site.

Transduction is an essential method of horizontal gene transfer, alongside transformation and conjugation. It facilitates genetic diversity and can contribute to the spread of traits such as antibiotic resistance among bacterial populations. Researchers utilize transduction in genetic engineering and molecular cloning, as it allows targeted gene transfer and manipulation.

Overall, transduction is a crucial process in microbial genetics with implications for evolution, biotechnology, and medicine, particularly in understanding the spread of antibiotic resistance and virulence factors among pathogenic bacteria.