Textbook Question
How do we know that bacteria undergo genetic recombination, allowing the transfer of genes from one organism to another?
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Ch. 8 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and Bacteriophages
Klug10th EditionEssentials of GeneticsISBN: 9780135588789
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Introduction to Genetics16
- Ch. 2 - Mitosis and Meiosis28
- Ch. 3 - Mendelian Genetics37
- Ch. 4 - Modification of Mendelian Ratios53
- Ch. 5 - Sex Determination and Sex Chromosomes32
- Ch. 6 - Chromosome Mutations: Variation in Number and Arrangement37
- Ch. 7 - Linkage and Chromosome Mapping in Eukaryotes36
- Ch. 8 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and Bacteriophages24
- Ch. 9 - DNA Structure and Analysis38
- Ch. 10 - DNA Replication29
- Ch. 11 - Chromosome Structure and DNA Sequence Organization22
- Ch. 12 - The Genetic Code and Transcription36
- Ch. 13 - Translation and Proteins27
- Ch. 14 - Gene Mutation, DNA Repair, and Transposition34
- Ch. 15 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Bacteria22
- Ch. 16 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes37
- Ch. 17 - Recombinant DNA Technology27
- Ch. 18 - Genomics, Bioinformatics, and Proteomics30
- Ch. 19 - The Genetics of Cancer21
- Ch. 20 - Quantitative Genetics and Multifactorial Traits37
- Ch. 21 - Population and Evolutionary Genetics45
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Klug 10th EditionCh. 8 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and BacteriophagesProblem 2
Klug 10th EditionCh. 8 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and BacteriophagesProblem 2Chapter 8, Problem 2
Write a short summary that contrasts how recombination occurs in bacteria and bacteriophages.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Define recombination in the context of genetics as the process by which genetic material is rearranged to produce new combinations of genes, increasing genetic diversity.
Step 2: Explain that in bacteria, recombination typically occurs through processes such as transformation (uptake of free DNA), transduction (DNA transfer via bacteriophages), and conjugation (direct transfer between bacteria), often involving homologous recombination where similar DNA sequences are exchanged.
Step 3: Describe that in bacteriophages, recombination mainly occurs during the infection cycle, especially through mechanisms like site-specific recombination or homologous recombination when multiple phage genomes are present in the same host, allowing exchange of genetic material between phage genomes.
Step 4: Contrast the two by noting that bacterial recombination often involves integration of foreign DNA into the bacterial chromosome to create genetic variation in the bacterial population, while phage recombination primarily reshuffles phage genetic material to generate new phage variants.
Step 5: Summarize that bacterial recombination is a key driver of bacterial evolution and adaptation, whereas phage recombination contributes to phage diversity and can influence phage-host interactions.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Bacterial Recombination Mechanisms
In bacteria, recombination primarily occurs through processes like transformation, transduction, and conjugation, which involve the exchange or uptake of DNA between cells. These mechanisms allow bacteria to acquire genetic diversity without sexual reproduction, often involving homologous recombination to integrate new DNA into the genome.
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Phage Recombination Processes
Bacteriophages undergo recombination mainly during their replication cycles, especially through genetic exchanges between phage genomes during co-infection of a host. This can involve homologous recombination or site-specific recombination, enabling phages to generate genetic diversity and adapt to host defenses.
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Differences in Recombination Context and Purpose
While bacterial recombination often serves to increase genetic variation and adaptability in a population, phage recombination is closely tied to their replication and survival within host cells. Bacterial recombination involves DNA transfer between cells, whereas phage recombination occurs within the viral genomes during infection.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
How do we know whether or not genetic recombination between bacteria involves cell-to-cell contact?
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Textbook Question
With respect to F⁺ and F⁻ bacterial matings, answer the following questions: How was it established that physical contact between cells was necessary?
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Textbook Question
With respect to F⁺ and F⁻ bacterial matings, answer the following questions: How was it established that chromosome transfer was unidirectional?
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