The Uptake of Naked DNA by Some Bacterial Cells Is

Question

The uptake of naked DNA by some bacterial cells is called ________.
A) transduction
B) conjugation
C) an insertion
D) transformation
E) a point mutation

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question refers to transformation, which is the uptake of foreign DNA by bacterial cells. Transduction involves the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a virus, conjugation involves the transfer of genetic material between two bacterial cells through direct contact, insertion is a general term that could refer to a variety of genetic events, and a point mutation is a specific type of genetic change involving a single nucleotide substitution.