Question

Bacteria acquire genes by a number of different methods. Compare and contrast bacterial transduction to bacterial conjugation. In your answer describe how these methods are similar or different, how they work, and give specific examples of genes that are acquired for each method.

Answer 1

Similarities between conjugation and transduction -

Both are methods of genetic recombination in bacteria.

In both the cases, genes are transferred into the bacterium, incorporated into its own genome and confers unique characteristics in bacteria.

Difference between conjugation and transduction -

Conjugation involves the participation of two bacteria where one bacterium called as donor bacterium transfers gene to recipient bacterium whereas transduction involves the participation of only one bacteria and genes are transferred by a virus.

Conjugation involves the formation of conjugation bridge which is formed by sex pilus whereas no such Bridge is found in transduction.

Conjugation involves the transfer of genes located on the plasmid of the donor bacterium whereas transduction involves the transfer of viral genes.

Transduction leads to cell lysis in the end where as no cell lysis occurs in conjugation.

Genes transferred by both the methods -

Antibiotic resistance genes, fertility genes, oil degrading genes are all transferred by the process of conjugation.

Genes encoding viral components like genes for viral head, virus tail are all transferred by transduction.

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