generalized transduction

generalized transduction

TRANSDUCTION in which any region of the donor GENOME, of appropriate size, could be mistakenly packaged in the BACTERIOPHAGE. Thus all possible NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCES of the donor BACTERIUM could be represented in the population of transducing particles. Upon transfer to the recipient a transduced chromosomal fragment may recombine with the HOMOLOGOUS REGION of the resident CHROMOSOME. Transduced PLASMIDS may exist as EXTRACHROMOSOMAL DNA in the recipient. Recipients carrying the transduced DNA are called transductants. The process has been used in fine structure genetic mapping of chromosomes. Compare SPECIALIZED TRANSDUCTION.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005