Genetics Key Terms 8: Bacteria and Horizontal Transfer

Cell Colony

A group or cluster of cells in one condensed area; can sometimes be seen with the naked eye

Auxotroph

The state of a mutant bacterium that is unable to produce/synthesize a molecule that is vital for life

Prototroph

A wild-type allele that is able to produce the necessary components needed for select forms of life.

Replica Plating

The process of transferring one colony from one plate of bacteria to another plate with the goal of creating a copy of colonies

Horizontal Gene Transfer

A method of genetic material transfer involving organisms not related to a parent/offspring group

Donor Cell

A cell that provides genetic information to another cell

Recipient Cell

A cell that receives genetic information from another cell

F-plasmid

A plasmid that allows for genes to be transferred between bacteria

F+ Cells

Donor cells containing an F-plasmid

F- Cells

A cell lacking fertility (F-plasmid) content, meaning they cannot transfer material during conjugation

Hfr Cells

(High Frequency Recombination); these cells pass on an F-Plasmid while integrated into the bacterial chromosome; donor cell responsible for recombination by conjugation

Pilus/Pili

A hair-like structure on the surface of some bacteria to help with adhesion, colonization, and infection

Conjugative Pilus

The bridge where DNA crosses from its donor (either F+ or Hfr) to its recipient (F-)

Exogenote

A piece of DNA from a donor cell that is transferred to a recipient cell during the mating of prokaryotic organisms

Endogenote

The genome of a recipient cell; the homologous part of the bacterial chromosome that is received from the recipient cell during conjugation

Conjugation

A method of DNA transfer using a physical bridge; physical transfer

Transformation

A process in which recipient cells pick up bacterial DNA in the environment; sourced from dead donor cells

Transduction

The process in which viruses of bacteria (bacteriophages) accidentally transfer DNA from donor cells to recipients

Exconjugant

A cell that has separated after conjugation, exchanging genetic material with another cell

Transformant

A cell/organism that has acquired new genetic material; can be through infection or experiment

Transductant

A cell that has undergone the transduction process, that has had DNA transferred

Competent Cell

Cells that can take up DNA from their environment

Artificial Transformation

A technique in science that introduces foreign DNA into bacteria cells

Electroporation

A technique using electric pulses to create temporary pores (more permeability) in the cell membrane

Virulent Bacteriophage

A type of bacteria that infects the cell by quickly hijacking components, creating new phage particles, and going through lysis to release progenies to infect more

Temperate Bacteriophage

A virus that integrates its DNA into a bacterial host’s chromosome

Lysogenic Bacterium

A bacteria cell (infected) that can transfer the ability to produce more phages

Lytic Induction

An approach using chemical inducers and anti-viral drugs to target viruses and treat malignances associated with them

Lytic Stage

A phase during viral replication where a virus takes over a host cell, replicates, and breaks the cell to infect others

Prophage

A bacteriophage genome incorporated into the bacteria’s DNA

Generalized Transduction

A process of transferring bacterial DNA from one cell to another by hijacking and releasing contents

Specialized Transduction

A process of transferring bacterial DNA from one cell to another by injecting viral DNA into the genome