Colossians 1:16, 17

16 For by him were all things created,

that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by
him all things consist.
2000 Timothy G. Standish

Bacterial Genetics
Timothy G. Standish, Ph. D.

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Bacteria Have Circular

Chromosomes
Cell Wall

Cell Membrane

Chromosome

Origin of
Replication

Cytoplasm

Termination of
Replication
2000 Timothy G. Standish

Replication
Replication goes
in both directions

Original
Chromosome
Start of replication
Theta (q) structure

Mid replication
End of replication
Two chromosomes
2000 Timothy G. Standish

Binary Fission Revisited

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Genetic Recombination

If bacteria were incapable of genetic

recombination, all members of a given species
would be clones with differences arising only due
to mutations in different lines
If bacteria could not share genetic information as
other organisms do in sexual reproduction, there
would be vastly less opportunity to adapt to
different environments
As it turns out, bacteria are notorious for their
ability to adapt, thus it is not surprising that
elegant mechanisms exist for sharing genetic
information

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Ways Bacteria Exchange

Genetic Material
Transformation

- Bacteria take up DNA

from their environment and incorporate it
into their genome (i.e., the Griffith
experiment)
Transduction - Movement of DNA
between bacteria by viruses
Conjugation - The direct transfer of DNA
by bacteria usually via plasmids
2000 Timothy G. Standish

Transformation

Crossing
over
Insertion
2000 Timothy G. Standish

Transduction
Generalized
Infection

Destruction of
the bacterias
DNA

Production of
viral parts
Lysis

Packaging

Replication of
the viral
genome

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Temperate
Phage

Transduction
Specialized

Part of the
bacterias
DNA

Production of
viral parts

Lysis

Packaging

Replication of
the viral
genome

2000 Timothy G. Standish

F plasmid

Conjugation
F+ bacteria

Mating Bridge

F- bacteria

2000 Timothy G. Standish

F plasmid

Conjugation
F+ bacteria

Mating Bridge

Original
F+ bacteria

F- bacteria

New
F+ bacteria
2000 Timothy G. Standish

Hfr Recombination

F+ bacteria

F plasmid
Integration

Hfr cell

F- bacteria
Transfer of
genetic material

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Hfr Recombination

F+ bacteria

F plasmid
Integration

Hfr cell

Interruption
of conjugation

F- bacteria
Crossing over

Transfer of
genetic material

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Hfr Recombination

F+ bacteria

F plasmid
Integration

Hfr cell

F- bacteria
Recombinant
Bacteria

2000 Timothy G. Standish

Transcription And Translation

In Prokaryotes
5

RNA
Pol.
Ribosome

mRNA

Ribosome

2000 Timothy G. Standish

2000 Timothy G. Standish