how might genes be transferred between bacterial species? course hero

by Mr. Jarrell Connelly 9 min read

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How is genetic information transferred in bacteria?

There are numerous bacteria found on planet earth. They divide quickly by binary fission producing identical daughter cells. Thus, the genetic information is transferred from the mother to the offspring and is known as vertical transmission.

Can bacteria share genes with each other?

Transfer of antibiotic resistance. Bacteria can share genes with each other in a process called horizontal gene transfer. This can occur both between bacteria of the same species and between different species and by several different mechanisms, given the right conditions.

Can antibiotic resistance genes be transferred between bacteria?

Any gene has the potential to be transferred between bacteria in this manner, including antibiotic resistance genes. Whether or not transferred genes will be integrated into the DNA of a recipient bacterium is another question. Foreign DNA can be harmful to a bacterium, and there are machineries in place that degrades incoming DNA.

How do viruses change the DNA of bacteria?

These viruses sometimes bring along genes that they picked up during infection of another bacterium. These genes may then be incorporated into the DNA of the new bacterial host. Transformation: Some bacteria can take up pieces of DNA directly from the environment around the cell.

How are genes transferred between bacterial species?

In the environment horizontal DNA transfer between various bacterial species and genera takes place by transformation, transduction, but mainly by conjugation. Conjugation is responsible for the spread of genes coding for antibiotic resistance and xenobiotic degradation.

What are the 4 common mechanisms of genetic transfer in bacteria?

Mechanisms of bacterial horizontal gene transfer include transformation, transduction, and conjugation. During transformation, a DNA fragment from a dead, degraded bacterium enters a competent recipient bacterium and is exchanged for a piece of DNA of the recipient.

How might genes such as those responsible for drug resistance be transferred between bacterial species?

By undergoing a simple mating process called "conjugation," bacteria can transfer genetic material, including genes encoding resistance to antibiotics (found on plasmids and transposons) from one bacterium to another. Viruses are another mechanism for passing resistance traits between bacteria.

Can the DNA be passed on from one bacterial to another strain?

In conjugation, DNA is transferred from one bacterium to another. After the donor cell pulls itself close to the recipient using a structure called a pilus, DNA is transferred between cells. In most cases, this DNA is in the form of a plasmid. An F+ donor cell contains its chromosomal DNA and an F plasmid.

How are genes transferred?

In transduction, DNA is transmitted from one cell to another via a bacteriophage. In horizontal gene transfer, newly acquired DNA is incorporated into the genome of the recipient through either recombination or insertion.

What are the method of gene transfer?

The six methods are: (1) Transformation (2) Conjugation (3) Electroporation (4) Liposome-Mediated Gene Transfer (5) Transduction and (6) Direct Transfer of DNA.

What are the common mechanisms for transferring antibiotic-resistant gene?

Antibiotic resistance genes with potential MGEs can be disseminated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), which is occurs via three mechanisms, namely, transformation, conjugation, and transduction.

What type of DNA is transferred in bacterial conjugation?

DNA plasmidTransfer of genetic material occurs during the process of bacterial conjugation. During this process, DNA plasmid is transferred from one bacterium (the donor) of a mating pair into another (the recipient) via a pilus.

How does resistance to drugs spread in bacterial populations?

Bacteria that have drug-resistant DNA may transfer a copy of these genes to other bacteria. Non-resistant bacteria receive the new DNA and become resistant to drugs. In the presence of drugs only drug-resistant bacteria survive. The drug-resistant bacteria multiply and thrive.

What are the three methods of genetic recombination in bacteria?

The three types of genetic recombination in bacteria are transformation, transduction and conjugation.

What kind of gene transfer between bacterial cells in the same generation utilizes the help of a virus?

Transduction is the process by which DNA is transferred from one bacterium to another by a virus. It also refers to the process whereby foreign DNA is introduced into another cell via a viral vector.

What do you understand by genetic transformation in bacteria?

Bacterial transformation is a process of horizontal gene transfer by which some bacteria take up foreign genetic material (naked DNA) from the environment. It was first reported in Streptococcus pneumoniae by Griffith in 1928. DNA as the transforming principle was demonstrated by Avery et al in 1944.

What is the most common way that a bacterium can acquire a plasmid with genes for antibiotic resistance from another bacterium?

Bacteria can acquire antibiotic-resistance genes by becoming infected with a virus that contains an antibiotic-resistance gene.

What is transformation in bacterial cells?

Transformation is the process by which foreign DNA is introduced into a cell. Transformation of bacteria with plasmids is important not only for studies in bacteria but also because bacteria are used as the means for both storing and replicating plasmids.

In which mechanism of gene transfer competence development in recipient bacteria is required?

Transformation is one mode of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria, wherein extracellular naked DNA is taken up by cells that have developed genetic competence.

What is the process of transduction in bacteria?

Transduction is the process by which a virus transfers genetic material from one bacterium to another. Viruses called bacteriophages are able to infect bacterial cells and use them as hosts to make more viruses.

How do bacteria share genes?

Bacteria can share genes with each other in a process called horizontal gene transfer. This can occur both between bacteria of the same species and between different species and by several different mechanisms, given the right conditions. Gene transfer results in genetic variation in bacteria and is a large problem when it comes to the spread ...

What happens if a bacterium picks up an antibiotic resistance gene?

For example, if a bacterium picks up an antibiotic resistance gene and is subsequently exposed to that antibiotic, this bacterium will be better off than susceptible neighbors and can increase in number.

What is the process of transduction?

Transduction: There are viruses called bacteriophages that can infect bacteria. These viruses sometimes bring along genes that they picked up during infection of another bacterium. These genes may then be incorporated into the DNA of the new bacterial host.

Can antibiotic resistance genes be transferred?

Transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. Any gene has the potential to be transferred between bacteria in this manner, including antibiotic resistance genes. Whether or not transferred genes will be integrated into the DNA of a recipient bacterium is another question. Foreign DNA can be harmful to a bacterium, and there are machineries in place ...

What is the term for the process of a virus attaching to a bacterial chromosome?

This cycle is called the lytic cycle. Under other circumstances, the virus may attach to the bacterial chromosome and integrate its DNA into the bacterial DNA. It may remain here for a period of time before detaching and continuing its replicative process. This cycle is known as the lysogenic cycle.

What happens to the host bacterium after a virus enters the bacterium?

After a bacteriophage (or phage, in brief) enters a bacterium, it may encourage the bacterium to make copies of the phage. At the conclusion of the process, the host bacterium undergoes lysis and releases new phages.

Why is conjugation important?

This type of conjugation is important because it accounts for the spread of certain bacterial genes through a bacterial population. The process is called sexduction. Bacterial transformation.

What are the three types of bacterial recombination?

The proteins expressed by the new genes lead to new physiological characteristics in the bacteria. Bacterial conjugation. Bacterial conjugation was first postulated in the 1940s by Joshua Lederberg and Edward Tatum. The essential feature of the process is ...

What happens when the F factor is transferred?

In this case, the F factor is transferred and the recipient becomes a donor cell. During some instances of conjugation, the F plasmid leaves the bacterial chromosome carrying an excised piece of chromosomal DNA The plasmid carrying the chromosomal DNA is called an F' plasmid.

What is the name of the cell that gives up DNA?

One cell, the donor cell (F + ), gives up DNA; and another cell, the recipient cell (F − ), receives the DNA. The transfer is nonreciprocal, and a special pilus called the sex pilus joins the donor and recipient during the transfer. The DNA most often transferred is a copy of the F factor plasmid. The factor moves to the recipient, ...

What did Griffith do with bacterial pneumonia?

Griffith worked with the pneumococci that cause bacterial pneumonia. He discovered that if he mixed fragments of dead pathogenic pneumococci with specimens of live harmless pneumococci, the harmless bacteria took on genes of the bacterial fragments and became pathogenic.

What is the technique of transfer of genetic material from one bacteria to another placed in contact?

Conjugation is the technique of transfer of genetic material from one bacteria to another placed in contact. This method was proposed by Lederberg and Tatum. They discovered that the F-factor can move between E.coli cells and proposed the concept of conjugation.

How are bacteria capable of taking up DNA?

Such bacteria are made artificially competent. This is achieved by using chemicals and electrical pulses. Chemicals- The cells are chilled and made permeable in the presence of calcium phosphate.

What is the process of a bacteriophage infecting the donor cells?

Generalized Transduction. In this type, the bacteriophage first infects the donor cells and begins the lytic cycle. The virus then develops its components using the host cell machinery. The host cell DNA is hydrolyzed into small fragments by the viral enzymes.

Which cell undergoes the lytic cycle?

This is carried out by temperate bacteriophage which undergoes the lysogenic cycle. The virus enters the bacteria and integrates its genome within the host cell DNA. It remains dormant and passes on from generation to generation. When the lysogenic cell is exposed to some external stimulus, the lytic cycle begins.

What is the process of DNA uptake by bacteria?

Bacterial Transformation . Transformation is the process of DNA uptake by the bacteria from the surrounding environment. The cells that have the ability to uptake DNA are known as competent cells. This process was first reported in Streptococcus pneumonia by Griffith.

How do bacteria divide?

Bacterial Genetics. There are numerous bacteria found on planet earth. They divide quickly by binary fission producing identical daughter cells. Thus, the genetic information is transferred from the mother to the offspring and is known as vertical transmission.

Why are bacteria grown on agar?

The bacteria are grown on an agar medium with antibiotics to check for transformed cells. Only the bacteria containing the antibiotic resistance gene will grow in the presence of antibiotic. The cells that survive and grow are transformed cells. The others are non-transformed.