What is Transduction?Transduction is the transfer of DNA from one cell to another via a virus. When a virus leaves a host cell and infects another it may bring along pieces of the previous host's genome. It is then injected into the new host producing a recombinant cell.
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Generalized Transduction
This occurs with lytic Viruses. When a virus infects a host cell and enters the lytic cycle the host's genome is chopped up. The virus then goes through the stage of biosyntehsis forming all of the components to assemble new virions. Next the step of Maturation occurs where the new virions are assembled. It is this step that makes general transduction possible. When the new virions are assembled there is a chance that fragments of the host's DNA will be packaged within the newly assembled virions. Once the host cell is lysed the virions are released along with the virions that contain host DNA. These new Virions then infect a new host cell. When the DNA is injected fragments of the previous host's DNA enters the new host cell. This DNA then merges with the new hosts genome producing a recombinant. When this new recombinant divides it produces more recombinant cells thus continually reproducing new recombinants. This may or may not give the recombinant the abilities to perform new or enhanced functions.
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