Phase Variation is an Example Of

Question

Phase variation is an example of
A) conjugation.
B) site-specific recombination.
C) general recombination.
D) transposition.
E) radiation resistance.

Accepted Answer

Phase variation is a mechanism that allows for rapid adaptation of bacterial populations to changing environmental conditions by switching expression of certain genes on and off. This switch is often controlled by site-specific recombination, which allows for a DNA segment to be excised or inserted at a specific location in the genome, resulting in a change in gene expression. Therefore, the correct choice is B) site-specific recombination.