Bacteria increase genetic diversity via which mechanism?

Bacteria increase genetic diversity via which mechanism?

• A. Horizontal Gene Transfer
• B. Binary Fission
• C. Vertical Gene Transfer
• D. Mutation

Answer: (A)

Bacteria increase genetic diversity by exchanging DNA with other organisms, a process known as horizontal gene transfer. This allows a cell to acquire new genes and functions from different strains or species, not just from its parent. Transformation picks up free DNA from the environment, transduction uses viruses to shuttle genes between cells, and conjugation directly transfers DNA through cell-to-cell contact via plasmids. Because these transfers can bring in whole genes or operons that confer new traits—like novel metabolic capabilities or antibiotic resistance—populations become much more genetically diverse quickly. In contrast, binary fission is asexual reproduction that creates clones with essentially the same genome, so it doesn’t boost diversity. Vertical gene transfer is simply inheritance from parent to offspring, which maintains lineage differences but doesn’t create new variation across a population. Mutations do introduce new variants, but horizontal gene transfer provides a rapid, large-scale source of new genetic material from outside the lineage.

Bacteria increase genetic diversity by exchanging DNA with other organisms, a process known as horizontal gene transfer. This allows a cell to acquire new genes and functions from different strains or species, not just from its parent. Transformation picks up free DNA from the environment, transduction uses viruses to shuttle genes between cells, and conjugation directly transfers DNA through cell-to-cell contact via plasmids. Because these transfers can bring in whole genes or operons that confer new traits—like novel metabolic capabilities or antibiotic resistance—populations become much more genetically diverse quickly.

In contrast, binary fission is asexual reproduction that creates clones with essentially the same genome, so it doesn’t boost diversity. Vertical gene transfer is simply inheritance from parent to offspring, which maintains lineage differences but doesn’t create new variation across a population. Mutations do introduce new variants, but horizontal gene transfer provides a rapid, large-scale source of new genetic material from outside the lineage.