Mechanisms of Bacterial Gene transfer

Question 1

What are the three means by which bacteria can transfer plasmids to other bacteria?

Answer 1

• conjugation
• transformation
• transduction

Question 2

What is transposon?

Answer 2

• a small genetic element capable of mediating their own movement from one chromosomal (or plasmid) location to another
• compound transposons carry accessory genes, such as antibiotic resistance genes

Question 3

What is bacterial conjugation?

Answer 3

• cell-to-cell contact and formation of a a conjugation bridge via a sex pilus
• conjugative plasmid in donor (male) encodes sex pili to initiate cell-cell contact
• transferred DNA cannot be maintained as an atonomous plasmid, so homologous recombination is required

Question 4

What is bacterial transformation

Answer 4

-DNA binds to and enters the cell surface. then integrates into host chromosome via homologous recombination

Question 5

What is bacterial transduction?

Answer 5

-bacteriophage injects nucleic acid into bacteria