Transfer of DNA by a Virus

Question

Transfer of DNA by a virus
A) Transformation
B) Conjugation
C) Transduction
D) Translation

Accepted Answer

Transduction is the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another by a bacteriophage (a virus that infects bacteria) as a vector. The bacteriophage enters a host bacteria cell and as it replicates, it may mistakenly package the host bacteria's DNA into its own capsid. When the bacteriophage infects another bacteria cell, it injects the packaged DNA, which can then be integrated into the recipient cell's genome. This is a mechanism by which bacteria can acquire new traits, including antibiotic resistance.