Transduktsiooniks

Transduktsiooniks is a biological process where genetic material is transferred from one bacterium to another by a virus. This process is a form of horizontal gene transfer, which allows bacteria to acquire new traits and adapt to their environment. The virus responsible for transduction is called a bacteriophage, or simply phage. Phages are viruses that infect bacteria.

There are two main types of transduction: generalized transduction and specialized transduction. In generalized transduction, any part of the bacterial genome can be transferred to a new bacterium. This occurs when a phage mistakenly packages a piece of the host bacterium's DNA into its capsid instead of its own viral DNA. When this phage infects another bacterium, it injects the bacterial DNA, which can then be integrated into the new host's genome.

In specialized transduction, only specific parts of the bacterial genome are transferred. This happens when a temperate phage integrates its DNA into the host bacterium's chromosome. When the phage is induced to excise itself from the chromosome, it may occasionally take a piece of adjacent bacterial DNA with it. This fragment is then replicated along with the phage DNA and can be transferred to another bacterium during subsequent infection. Transduction plays a significant role in bacterial evolution, contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance and other important genetic characteristics among bacterial populations.