Bacterial genetic update

[fredreload]

For example, if I have a group of bacteria and one of the bacteria grows and arm, I want to quickly update this bacteria's arm to all the other bacteria. One thing that I found which is possible to transfer genetic material is through bacterial conjugation which transfer genetic material in the form of plasmid. Theoretically I could produce plsmids for all the bacteria and have them update as a package, but that wouldn't be efficient enough would it. Is there a biological way to have a single bacteria updates its capabilities to all the other bacteria in a short amount of time?

[Function]

No. The others die (if they haven't received a resistance gene in a plasmid by a phage or other bacteria), and the persistent ones divide. (Think that phages which would happen to have those resistance genes would form the quickest solution for you, that is, more specifically, in the lysogenic pathway)

Edited November 30, 2016 by Function

[fredreload]

No. The others die (if they haven't received a resistance gene in a plasmid by a phage or other bacteria), and the persistent ones divide. (Think that phages which would happen to have those resistance genes would form the quickest solution for you, that is, more specifically, in the lysogenic pathway)

Right, this is how drug resistance bacteria shows up, I'm wondering if there is an application for this but haven't thought of one

[CharonY]

Not sure what you are asking, but you can easily transfer genes between bacterial cells (certainly no arms though, cells obviously do not have those, and calling fimbria or other appendages arm would be silly). However any technique will only result in a proportion of any population that pick up the genes. What you generally do is take clones out with the trait and propagate them. Also obviously transferring genes does not necessarily mean that they will express them, nor that that even if they do they get the desired trait.

[Function]

Not sure what you are asking, but you can easily transfer genes between bacterial cells (certainly no arms though, cells obviously do not have those, and calling fimbria or other appendages arm would be silly). However any technique will only result in a proportion of any population that pick up the genes. What you generally do is take clones out with the trait and propagate them. Also obviously transferring genes does not necessarily mean that they will express them, nor that that even if they do they get the desired trait.

 

Oh wow I interpreted as "an arm" as in, being armed against antibiotics.

 

Never mind.

[CharonY]

To be fair, I am only guessing myself. It is somewhat incoherent.