Final answer:
The difference between generalized and specialized transduction, and why there can't be specialized transduction with a lytic virus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Difference between Generalized and Specialized Transduction:
In generalized transduction, any piece of chromosomal DNA may be transferred by accidental packaging of the degraded host chromosome into a phage head. In specialized transduction, only chromosomal DNA adjacent to the integration site of a lysogenic phage may be transferred as a result of imprecise excision of the prophage.
Why specialized transduction can't occur with a lytic virus:
Specialized transduction occurs at the end of the lysogenic cycle when the prophage is excised and the bacteriophage enters the lytic cycle. Since the phage is integrated into the host genome during the lysogenic cycle, specialized transduction is only possible when the phage excises itself from the host genome. In a lytic virus, there is no lysogenic cycle, so specialized transduction cannot occur.