Final answer:
Horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes is less common than in prokaryotes but does occur and contributes to genetic diversity. The three mechanisms in eukaryotes are transformation, the uptake of DNA from the environment; transduction, gene transfer via viruses; and conjugation, direct transfer through cell-to-cell contact.
Step-by-step explanation:
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), is a process by which genetic material is introduced from one organism to another within the same generation. While vertical gene transfer from parent to offspring through the cell cycle and mitosis or meiosis plus fertilization is common in eukaryotes, they also exhibit HGT mechanisms.
The three primary mechanisms of HGT in eukaryotes are as follows:
- Transformation: In this method, eukaryotic cells take up DNA directly from their environment, which has been released by either living or lysed cells.
- Transduction: This involves the transfer of genes between cells through a vector, such as a virus that can infect and introduce foreign DNA into the eukaryotic cells.
- Conjugation: Although less common in eukaryotes compared to prokaryotes, this method involves the direct transfer of DNA from one cell to another through cell-to-cell contact, possibly using structures like the conjugation pilus seen in prokaryotes.
Overall, these mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer contribute to the genetic diversity in eukaryotic species, playing a role in evolution and adaptation.