In 1955, a team of scientists discovered a bacteriophage that infected the K12 strain of Escherichia Coli. This bacteriophage occasionally packaged a set of genes specifying galactose fermentation and delivered those genes to other bacteria through which of the following methods of genetic exchange?
A. transformation
B. translocation
C. transduction
D. transcription
Click for Explanation
Exchange of viral and/or bacterial genetic information from one cell to another via a viral bacteriophage vector defines transduction.
A. transformation, incorrect, Transformation describes a bacterium acquiring new genetic material from the surrounding environment through the cell membrane.
B. translocation, incorrect, Translocation refers to movement of genetic information to a different chromosomal location on a nonhomologous chromosome.
C. transduction, correct.
D. transcription, incorrect, Transcription describes creation of mRNA from a DNA template.
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