Transduksiooniga

Transduksiooniga is a biological process by which genetic material is transferred from one bacterium to another by a virus. This process is mediated by bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect bacteria. During transduction, a bacteriophage injects its genetic material into a host bacterium. If the bacteriophage then replicates and new phages are assembled, some of the bacterial DNA might be accidentally packaged into the new phage particles. When these new phages are released from the host cell, they can infect other bacteria and transfer the bacterial DNA they carry.

There are two main types of transduction: generalized and specialized. Generalized transduction can occur with any part of the bacterial genome, as during phage assembly, random fragments of bacterial DNA are packaged into the phage heads. Specialized transduction, on the other hand, involves the transfer of specific genes that are located close to the prophage integration site. In this case, when the prophage is excised from the bacterial chromosome, it can sometimes carry adjacent bacterial genes with it.

Transduction is a significant mechanism for horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. It plays a role in bacterial evolution by facilitating the spread of genes, such as those conferring antibiotic resistance or virulence factors, among bacterial populations. Researchers also utilize transduction as a tool in molecular biology for gene cloning and genetic engineering of bacteria.