Final answer:
Horizontal gene transfer is between members of related but different bacterial species. Often survival genes like antibiotic resistance
Step-by-step explanation:
Horizontal gene transfer is the process whereby genes are transferred between members of related but different bacterial species. This is a significant process in the development of antibiotic resistance.
Four mechanisms of gene transfer are transformation, transduction, conjugation, and gene transfer agents. Transformation involves the uptake of nak*d DNA by bacteria, transduction uses viruses to transfer genes, and conjugation involves the direct transfer of DNA via a pilus. It transfer random genomic segments between prokaryotes and have a high impact on bacterial evolution.
The spread of antibiotic resistance is of great concern to the medical community. Transposons can carry antibiotic resistance genes, greatly facilitating their transfer. R plasmids, which often harbor resistance genes, can move these genes between the same or different bacterial species through conjugation. Conjugation, especially, is a key pathway in the spread of antibiotic resistance.