Final answer:
When bacteria pick up DNA from the environment through transformation, they can actively take up and incorporate nak*d DNA into their genome, potentially changing their characteristics, such as acquiring pathogenic traits or antibiotic resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
When bacteria pick up DNA from the environment, a process called transformation occurs. This mechanism involves the uptake of nak*d DNA by a prokaryote that is shed into the environment by other prokaryotes. Many bacteria are naturally competent and can actively bind to the environmental DNA and transport it into their cytoplasm.
Once inside the cytoplasm, the DNA is made single-stranded, which is important because it is less likely to be destroyed by nucleases, which are natural defenses against viral infection. This single-stranded DNA can then potentially recombine with the bacterial genome, resulting in recombinant DNA.
The incorporation of new DNA may endow the bacterial cell with new phenotypic traits. For instance, if a nonpathogenic bacterium acquires DNA encoding a toxin gene from a pathogen, and incorporates it into its chromosome, it can become pathogenic as well.
Also, plasmid DNA may be taken up, conferring new properties to the cell. In the natural environment, transformation is an inefficient process due to the presence of nucleases and the inefficiency of genetic recombination. However, during laboratory manipulations, bacterial transformation is exploited for genetic engineering, allowing the creation of a wide array of medicinal products.
Transformation is one of several types of horizontal gene transfer. This genetic exchange is vital for spreading traits such as virulence factors and antibiotic resistance among bacterial populations.