Definition:
A process by which new genetic material is introduced into bacteria mediated by a virus (bacteriophage).
During transduction, foreign DNA is introduced into a bacterial cell by a virus (bacteriophage) or viral vector. Viral transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another is an example of horizontal gene transfer.
DNA can also be transferred between bacteria by the process of conjugation, which requires bacterial cells to be in direct contact, and by transformation, whereby bacteria take up DNA molecules from their surroundings.
Transduction is a common experimental tool used to stably introduce a foreign gene into a host cell’s genome.
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