Question

What is horizontal gene transfer?

What are the three different types of horizontal gene transfer?

What sets transformation apart from the other types of horizontal gene transfer?

Answer 1

The transfer of genetic material between two different cells such as two bacterial cells is called horizontal gene transfer. It occurs between two unrelated bacterial cells.

There is three types of horizontal gene transfer:

Conjugation: In this, the two bacterial cells are joined by a bridge, and the genetic material is shared between two. In this one cell is the donor and the other one is the recipient.

Transduction: In this, the bacteriophage serves as the vector for the transfer of genetic material. The bacteriophage infects a cell and incorporate some genetic material of the bacteria within its own and later when infecting another cell the bacterial genetic material is also transferred.

Transformation: In this, the ability o the bacterial cell is exploited. The bacterial cell can take up any genetic material that is present in the surrounding environment

This is different as this can be used to form recombiant cell by using the bacterial cell as vector. This type of method doesn;t need any vectro of connection such as bridge like in conjugation.