Bacteria undergo recombination using the mechanisms of
transformation, conjugation and transduction. Recombination is the process of transfer
of genetic material and is essential for the organism to develop and evolve.
Recombination leads to gene conversion with a mutant allele becoming a wild-type or vice
versa.
For recombination an organism requires two
homologous DNA molecules but bacteria have only one chromosome. This makes them acquire
the extra DNA molecule either from the environment, or from another bacterium or through
a bacteriophage intermediate. These three processes are referred to using the terms
transformation, conjugation and transduction. Transformation is when a living bacterium
picks up a dead DNA remnant from a bacterium that has been destroyed. Conjugation is a
sort of sexual mating with two bacteria exchanging genetic material. Transduction
involves the creation of defective DNA package which cannot replicate by itself but can
infect other cells and become a part of their genetic
formulation.
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