Final answer:
Transduction in biology refers to the process by which genetic material is transferred from one bacterium to another using bacteriophages. It includes generalized transduction with random DNA packaging and specialized transduction, involving lysogenic prophage excision carrying bacterial genes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transduction is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria where genes are transferred through viral infection, particularly by bacteriophages. There are two types of transduction: generalized transduction and specialized transduction. In generalized transduction, any piece of chromosomal DNA may be accidentally packaged into a phage head during viral assembly and transferred to a new host cell.
Conversely, specialized transduction results from the imprecise excision of a lysogenic prophage from the bacterial chromosome, carrying part of the bacterial chromosome with it and introducing new genes at the new host site. This occurs during the lytic cycle of viral replication where the virus hijacks the host cell and may accidentally encapsulate host DNA instead of its own. As a result, the new host may acquire new properties, such as antibiotic resistance or new metabolic capabilities, making transduction a significant factor in bacterial evolution.