MICROBIAL GENETICS

Mechanisms of Genetic Transfer

in Bacteria
1. Transformation: involves a bacterial
cell & naked DNA
2. Transduction: involves a bacterial cell &
a bacteriophage
3. Conjugation: involves two bacterial
cells; cell-cell contact is required

All of these methods promote genetic

diversity
Transformation

 Discovered by Frederick Griffith in 1928

 Used 2 strains of Streptococcus
pneumoniae
1- Produced a capsule & caused
pneumonia
- designated Smooth
2- Did not produce a capsule & did not
cause pneumonia
- designated Rough
Transformation
 What caused Transformation?
 Griffith fractionated Smooth S.
pneumoniae cells into:
 Protein fraction
 Lipid fraction
 DNA fraction
 Mixed fractions with Rough S.
pnuemoniae
 Conclusion: DNA was transforming
factor
Mechanism of Bacterial
Transformation
 For transformation to occur, cells must
be in a state of increased cell wall & cell
membrane permeability, known as
competency

 In laboratories, cells are made

competent by treatment with calcium
chloride
Transduction
 A mode of genetic transfer using a
bacteriophage (a virus that infects
bacteria)

 Recall lytic & lysogenic cycles

Bacteriophage Life Cycles
Mechanism of Transduction
Mechanism of Transduction
(continued)
Conjugation

Discovered by
Joshua
Lederberg in
1946
 Conjugation
 Genetic information
is transferred from
one cell to another
 Cell to cell contact is
required (via pili)
 One cell receives
genetic material, the
recipient, F- cell
 One cell donates
genetic material, the
donor, F+(F plus),
Hfr, F’(F prime)
Conjugation Involving F+ & F- cells
 F plasmids are circular, double-
stranded DNA molecules
 F+ cells contain F (fertility)
plasmids & makes the F pilus
 F- cells lack F plasmids
 F pilus (sex pilus): extends from F+
cell & attaches to the F- cell
Conjugation
Involving F+ x
F-
Conjugation
Involving F+ x
F-
(continued)

Result of F+ x F-
is 2 F+ cells
High-Frequency of Recombination Donor
Cells (Hfr)
 An Hfr forms from a F+ cell.
 The F plasmid becomes
incorporated into the bacterial
chromosome
 Genes are transferred in a
sequential fashion starting from a
point of origin (initiating segment)
on the F plasmid
Formation of a Hfr
Conjugation Involving a Hfr &
F-
Result of Hfr x
F- is 1 Hfr + 1 F-
with new genes
 F’ (F prime) Donor Cells
 F’ cells form from an Hfr.

 F’ cells result from the imperfect

excision of the F plasmid from an
Hfr. A fragment of the chromosome
is carried with the F plasmid

 Since F’ cells contain F plasmids

extra-chromosomally, they transfer
in the same way as F+ cells do.
Formation of a F’
Cell & Transfer
Involving
a F’ & F-
Transfer Involving a F’ & F-
(continued)

Result of
a F’ x F- is 2 F+
cells