How does transformation differ from transduction

Explanation: The bacterial genes are transferred from the help of virus. This virus mediated transfer is transduction. The bacterial DNA is transferred from the environment by the help of other bacteria. This environment mediated transfer of DNA in bacteria is called as transformation.

Thank you. Related questions How is bacterial transformation different from conjugation and transduction? How can bacterial transformation be used in technology? In prokaryotes like bacteria, transformation occurs regularly when the cells exist in great numbers, such as in human intestinal tract or in rich soil. In order to carry out a successful transformation, the bacterium should be competent enough. Thus, the transformation or the ability of a cell to uptake extracellular DNA from the environment depends on the competence of the bacterium.

The competence depends on variable properties among bacterial species. Transformation can be done artificially; sometimes it even occurs naturally. If it occurs naturally, it increases the potential of causing disease more often. Unlike transformation, transduction requires a virus as an agent to carry DNA fragment from donor to recipient cell.

These viruses are bacteria-infecting viruses or bacteriophages. Bacteriophages attach to the surface receptors of the bacteria and directly inject the viral DNA into the bacteria. Transduction happens in two ways: lytic cycle or lysogenic cycle. In the end, these phages destroy lyse the same host cell; hence, we call them virulent phages. Unlike in the lytic cycle, the direct lysis of the bacterial cell does not occur in the lysogenic cycle.

In the lysogenic cycle, phage DNA integrates with the host chromosome as a prophage. After integration, the host cell undergoes DNA replication and binary fission, resulting in copies of the host cell with prophages.

Transduction is a useful tool in genetic engineering when introducing a foreign gene into bacteria. Also, it is useful to understand the mechanism by which antibiotic drugs become ineffective due to the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria. Transformation is the genetic alteration of bacteria by direct uptake and incorporation of exogenous DNA from their surroundings. On the other hand, transduction is the process by which a virus transfers genetic material from one bacterium to another.

So,this is the key difference between transformation and transduction. Later, when one of these bacteriophages infects a new host cell, this piece of bacterial DNA may be incorporated into the genome of the new host. There are two types of transduction: generalized and specialized. In generalized transduction, the bacteriophages can pick up any portion of the host's genome.

In contrast, with specialized transduction, the bacteriophages pick up only specific portions of the host's DNA. Scientists have taken advantage of the transduction process to stably introduce genes of interest into various host cells using viruses.