Concept
Transduction
Bacteriophage-carried DNA transfer
trans-DUK-shun
High-yield clue
Transduction is gene transfer by a bacteriophage acting as an accidental DNA delivery vehicle.
Overview
Horizontal gene transfer in which a bacteriophage accidentally packages bacterial DNA and carries it into a new host cell. It links phage biology to the spread of bacterial genes, including some toxin and resistance genes.
Classification
- Horizontal gene transfer
- Phage-mediated
- Generalized or specialized
- Recombination into recipient
Lab & identification clues
- Generalized transduction (random genes) vocabulary
- Specialized transduction (flanking genes) vocabulary
- Mispackaged host-DNA concept
Associations
- Transfer of toxin genes
- Transfer of resistance genes
- Depends on a phage vector
Commonly confused with
- Transformation
- Lysogenic conversion
Your notes
Original microbiology concept summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC/WHO topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment selection, infection-control instructions, or specimen-handling guidance.