Describe what is meant by the term site-specific recombination as used in identifying the processes that lead to the integration of temperate bacteriophages into host bacterial chromosomes during lysogeny or to the formation of specialized transducing phage.

Key Concepts

Site-Specific Recombination

Site-specific recombination is a genetic process where DNA segments are exchanged at specific sequences, allowing for the integration of foreign DNA into a host genome. This mechanism is crucial for the stable incorporation of temperate bacteriophages into bacterial chromosomes, facilitating lysogeny, where the phage DNA is maintained within the host without causing lysis.

Lysogeny

Lysogeny is a viral life cycle phase where a temperate bacteriophage integrates its genome into the host bacterial chromosome, remaining dormant. During this phase, the phage DNA, known as a prophage, replicates along with the host's DNA, allowing the virus to persist in the bacterial population without immediate destruction of the host.

Specialized Transduction

Specialized transduction is a process by which a bacteriophage transfers specific bacterial genes from one host to another during the lysogenic cycle. This occurs when a prophage incorrectly excises from the bacterial chromosome, taking adjacent bacterial genes with it, which can then be introduced into a new bacterial host during subsequent infections, facilitating genetic diversity.