
What are the three mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes?įrederick Griffith was the first to demonstrate the process of transformation.What is a benefit of asexual reproduction?.What are three ways sexual reproduction introduces genetic variation into offspring?.c) In conjugation, DNA is transferred between cells through a cytoplasmic bridge after a conjugation pilus draws the two cells close enough to form the bridge. b) In transduction, a bacteriophage injects DNA that is a hybrid of viral DNA and DNA from a previously infected bacterial cell.

The DNA may remain separate as a plasmid or be incorporated into the host genome. a) In transformation, the cell takes up DNA directly from the environment. There are three prokaryote-specific mechanisms leading to horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes.

The occurrence of mutations also contributes to genetic diversity in a population. Genetic diversity is also introduced during sexual reproduction, when the genetic information from two parents, each with different complements of genetic information, are combined, producing new combinations of parental genotypes in the diploid offspring. In sexually reproducing organisms, crossing-over events and independent assortment of individual chromosomes during meiosis contribute to genetic diversity in the population. Vertical gene transfer is by far the main mode of transmission of genetic information in all cells. Typically, when we consider genetic transfer, we think of vertical gene transfer, the transmission of genetic information from generation to generation. Explain the structure and consequences for bacterial genetic diversity of transposons.Explain how asexual gene transfer results in prokaryotic genetic diversity.Compare the processes of transformation, transduction, and conjugation.12.6 How Asexual Prokaryotes Achieve Genetic Diversity Learning Objectives
