2002 AIPMT Molecular Basis of InheritanceGene Transfer in Bacteria Easy Question 176 of 200 in Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Which statement is correct for bacterial transduction : -

A Transfer of some genes from one bacteria to another bacteria through virus
B Transfer of some genes from one bacteria to another bacteria by conjugation
C Bacteria obtained its DNA directly
D Bacteria obtained DNA from other external source

The answer is A.

Solution

Bacteria exchange genes in three ways:
Transformation: uptake of free DNA from the surroundings.
Conjugation: direct transfer of DNA through a conjugation tube (pilus) between two cells in contact.
Transduction: transfer of bacterial genes from one bacterium to another by a bacteriophage (virus), which accidentally packs some host DNA and carries it to the next host (Zinder and Lederberg).
So transduction is the transfer of some genes from one bacterium to another through a virus.

Concept Transduction by bacteriophage

Molecular Basis of Inheritance in past papers

200 questions from this chapter have appeared across 27 exam years.