Final answer:
The incorrect statement is that the genetic material in bacteria can move in and out of the nucleus; bacteria do not have a nucleus. They reproduce by binary fission and can exchange DNA through conjugation, transformation, and transduction.Hence option 4 is incorrect statement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The incorrect statement about bacteria is that 'genetic material in bacteria can move in and out of the nucleus', because bacteria do not have a nucleus. Their genetic material is instead located in a region called the nucleoid.
Reproduction in Bacteria
Bacteria reproduce through a process called binary fission. During binary fission, the bacterial chromosome duplicates and the cell divides into two genetically identical daughter cells. This mode of reproduction allows bacteria to have very fast reproductive rates, and under ideal conditions, some bacteria can double every 10 minutes.
Genetic Exchange in Bacteria
Bacteria can exchange genetic material using different mechanisms, which include conjugation, transformation, and transduction. In conjugation, DNA, typically in the form of a plasmid, is transferred from one bacterium to another via a pilus. Transformation involves the uptake of free DNA fragments from the environment into the bacterium, while transduction is the process where bacteriophages transfer DNA between bacteria. These processes increase genetic diversity without sexual reproduction.