transduced

Transduced is the past participle of transduce, meaning converted from one form of energy, information, or signal into another. The term is used across disciplines to describe a conversion process in which input is transformed into a different representation or carrier of information.

In biology, transduction refers to the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a bacteriophage (a virus that infects bacteria). A transduced bacterium carries donor DNA that was packaged into phage particles; this DNA can be integrated into the recipient's genome or exist as a plasmid. When this occurs, the donor DNA is described as having been transduced. There are generalized transduction (any gene can be transferred) and specialized transduction (only genes near the prophage insertion site).

In cellular biology and biochemistry, transduction denotes signal transduction—the process by which a cell converts a signal from its environment into a functional response. A transduced signal is one that has been received by a receptor and converted through a cascade (such as phosphorylation events or second messengers) into a cellular response.

In engineering and sensory science, transduction is the conversion of energy from one form to another by a transducer. For example, a microphone transduces sound waves into an electrical signal; a photovoltaic cell transduces light into electrical energy. When a system yields an output that is a converted version of the input, that output is said to be transduced.

The word derives from Latin transducere, meaning to lead across. In common usage, transduced describes something that has undergone this conversion process.