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Normally a commensal in the human intestine, this bacterium became pathogenic after acquiring a toxin gene from a Shigella bacterium.
16. Microbial Genetics
Introduction to Conjugation
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How is conjugation different from the two other forms of horizontal gene transfer, transformation and transduction?
A
Conjugation directly transfers DNA from donor to recipient cell.
B
Conjugation requires a phage to transfer the DNA between cells.
C
Conjugation requires a donor and a recipient cell.
D
Conjugation allows the recipient cell to take in free DNA from the environment.
E
A and D.
F
B and C.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of horizontal gene transfer, which is the movement of genetic material between organisms other than by the 'vertical' transmission of DNA from parent to offspring.
Identify the three main types of horizontal gene transfer: conjugation, transformation, and transduction.
Conjugation involves the direct transfer of DNA from a donor cell to a recipient cell through a physical connection, typically a pilus. This process does not require a phage.
Transformation involves the uptake of free DNA from the environment by a recipient cell. This process does not require direct contact between cells.
Transduction involves the transfer of DNA from one cell to another via a bacteriophage (virus). This process requires a phage to mediate the transfer.
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