If the experimental population of E.coli lacks an F factor or F plasmid,and if bacteriophages are excluded from the bacterial cultures,then which of these is means by which beneficial mutations might be transmitted horizontally to other E.coli cells?
A)via sex pili
B)via transduction
C)via conjugation
D)via transformation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Transformation is the process by which a bacterium takes up exogenous genetic material (naked DNA) from its environment and incorporates it into its own genome, thereby leading to transfer of beneficial mutations horizontally to other E.coli cells. As the experimental population lacks an F factor or F plasmid, conjugation (C) is not possible. Moreover, bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) have been excluded, so transduction (B) is also not possible. Sex pili (A) are involved in conjugation and not transformation.

If the Experimental Population of E