Generalized transduction occurs when a lytic phage packages what type of DNA?

Generalized transduction occurs when a lytic phage packages what type of DNA?

• A. Adjacent genes to the prophage
• B. Random fragments of bacterial DNA
• C. Plasmid DNA only
• D. Ribosomal RNA genes only

Answer: (B)

Generalized transduction happens when a lytic phage accidentally packages pieces of the host bacterium’s DNA into the phage head during assembly. The crucial point is that the DNA transferred can be any part of the bacterial chromosome, not a specific set of genes. Those transducing particles carry host DNA but lack the phage genome, so they can’t produce new phage on their own; when they infect a new cell, the donor DNA can be recombined into the recipient’s chromosome, spreading bacterial genes such as antibiotic resistance. This is distinct from specialized transduction, which occurs when a prophage is improperly excised from the chromosome and transfers adjacent bacterial genes near the prophage site. It’s also not limited to plasmid DNA or ribosomal RNA genes, and it’s not restricted to neighboring genes.

Generalized transduction happens when a lytic phage accidentally packages pieces of the host bacterium’s DNA into the phage head during assembly. The crucial point is that the DNA transferred can be any part of the bacterial chromosome, not a specific set of genes. Those transducing particles carry host DNA but lack the phage genome, so they can’t produce new phage on their own; when they infect a new cell, the donor DNA can be recombined into the recipient’s chromosome, spreading bacterial genes such as antibiotic resistance.

This is distinct from specialized transduction, which occurs when a prophage is improperly excised from the chromosome and transfers adjacent bacterial genes near the prophage site. It’s also not limited to plasmid DNA or ribosomal RNA genes, and it’s not restricted to neighboring genes.