Some Microbes Use Gene Regulation to Periodically Change Their Appearance

Question

Some microbes use gene regulation to periodically change their appearance, in a process called
A) sporulation.
B) attenuation.
C) regulation.
D) activation.
E) phase variation.

Accepted Answer

Phase variation is the process in which microbes use gene regulation to periodically change their appearance. This allows them to evade host immune responses or adapt to changing environmental conditions. Sporulation, attenuation, regulation, and activation are all important processes in microbial biology, but they do not specifically involve periodic changes in appearance.