Transduktioiden

Transduktioiden is a Finnish term that translates to "transductions" in English. In biology, transduction refers to the process of transferring genetic material from one bacterium to another by means of a virus. This virus, known as a bacteriophage, infects a bacterium and, during its replication cycle, can mistakenly package fragments of the host bacterium's DNA into new viral particles. When these bacteriophages then infect other bacteria, they inject this foreign DNA along with their own viral genetic material. This transferred bacterial DNA can then be integrated into the recipient bacterium's genome, potentially conferring new traits.

There are two main types of transduction: generalized transduction and specialized transduction. Generalized transduction occurs when any part of the bacterial chromosome can be transferred. This happens during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage, where the host DNA is broken down into fragments, and any of these fragments can be accidentally packaged into new phage heads. Specialized transduction, on the other hand, involves the transfer of only specific genes located near the site where the bacteriophage DNA integrates into the bacterial chromosome (prophage). This integration and subsequent excision are often imprecise, leading to the inclusion of adjacent bacterial genes in the phage genome. Transduction is a significant mechanism for horizontal gene transfer in bacteria, contributing to their genetic diversity and the spread of traits like antibiotic resistance.