Textbook Question
Normally a commensal in the human intestine, this bacterium became pathogenic after acquiring a toxin gene from a Shigella bacterium.
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Ch. 8 - Microbial Genetics
Chapter 8, Problem 8.10a
Which of the following is not a method of horizontal gene transfer?
a. binary fission
b. conjugation
c. integration of a transposon
d. transduction
e. transformation
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of horizontal gene transfer, which involves the transfer of genetic material between organisms in a manner other than traditional reproduction.
Review the methods of horizontal gene transfer: conjugation, transduction, and transformation.
Conjugation involves the direct transfer of DNA between two bacteria through a pilus.
Transduction involves the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a bacteriophage.
Transformation involves the uptake of free DNA from the environment by a bacterium.
Identify that binary fission is a method of asexual reproduction, not horizontal gene transfer, as it involves the division of a single organism into two identical daughter cells.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Horizontal Gene Transfer
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the process by which an organism incorporates genetic material from another organism without being its offspring. This mechanism is crucial for genetic diversity, especially in prokaryotes, and can occur through various methods such as transformation, transduction, and conjugation.
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Horizontal Gene Transfer
Binary Fission
Binary fission is a method of asexual reproduction commonly used by prokaryotic organisms, such as bacteria. In this process, a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells, effectively passing on its genetic material. Unlike horizontal gene transfer, binary fission does not involve the exchange of genetic material between different organisms.
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Methods of Horizontal Gene Transfer
The primary methods of horizontal gene transfer include transformation (uptake of free DNA), transduction (gene transfer via bacteriophages), and conjugation (direct transfer of DNA between bacteria through cell-to-cell contact). Understanding these methods is essential for distinguishing them from processes like binary fission, which does not involve genetic exchange.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Match the following terms to the definitions in questions 1 and 2.
a. conjugation
b. transcription
c. transduction
d. transformation
e. translation
Transfer of DNA from a donor to a recipient cell by a bacteriophage.
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Textbook Question
Match the following terms to the definitions in questions 1 and 2.
a. conjugation
b. transcription
c. transduction
d. transformation
e. translation
Transfer of DNA from a donor to a recipient as naked DNA in solution.
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Textbook Question
Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance by all of the following except
a. mutation.
b. insertion of transposons.
c. conjugation.
d. snRNPs.
e. transformation.
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Textbook Question
Identify when (before transcription, after transcription but before translation, after translation) each of the following regulatory mechanisms functions.
a. ATP combines with an enzyme, altering its shape.
b. A short RNA is synthesized that is complementary to mRNA.
c. Methylation of DNA occurs.
d. An inducer combines with a repressor.
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