Final answer:
The introduction of recombinant DNA plasmids into a bacterial colony through transformation is a fundamental technique in molecular cloning. This process allows bacteria to uptake engineered plasmids from their surroundings, which can then be selected and differentiated based on antibiotic resistance and reporting systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that involves introducing recombinant DNA plasmids into a bacterial colony is known as transformation. In this molecular cloning technique, bacteria are made permeable to take up free DNA, typically recombinant plasmids, from their surroundings. This DNA can come from other lysed bacterial cells or, in the laboratory setting, from engineered plasmids introduced into the cell's environment. After the transformation process, bacteria are usually cultured on a plate that contains an antibiotic, like ampicillin, and a substance that indicates the presence of a particular enzyme to identify which colonies have successfully taken up the recombinant plasmids.
Further steps involve using antibiotic resistance genes and reporter genes, such as the lacZ gene, to distinguish between bacteria that have taken up the recombinant and non-recombinant plasmids. Those that have the recombinant plasmid survive in the presence of antibiotics and can be visually distinguished by the color or growth patterns on the culture plate.