Which process increases genetic variation by exchanging genetic information between individuals?

Which process increases genetic variation by exchanging genetic information between individuals?

• A. Conjugation
• B. Binary fission
• C. Mitosis
• D. Budding

Answer: (A)

Genetic variation increases when organisms exchange genetic material with others. Conjugation in bacteria is direct cell-to-cell transfer of DNA through a mating bridge called a pilus. A donor cell passes DNA—often a plasmid, sometimes chromosomal genes—to a recipient, creating new combinations of alleles in the population. This horizontal gene transfer introduces novel genetic material that vertical inheritance alone wouldn’t provide, helping populations adapt to changing environments. In contrast, binary fission and mitosis reproduce genetically identical offspring since no DNA is exchanged between individuals; budding is another form of asexual reproduction that mainly copies the parent genome, with variation arising only from rare mutations. Therefore, conjugation is the process that increases genetic variation by exchanging genetic information between individuals.

Genetic variation increases when organisms exchange genetic material with others. Conjugation in bacteria is direct cell-to-cell transfer of DNA through a mating bridge called a pilus. A donor cell passes DNA—often a plasmid, sometimes chromosomal genes—to a recipient, creating new combinations of alleles in the population. This horizontal gene transfer introduces novel genetic material that vertical inheritance alone wouldn’t provide, helping populations adapt to changing environments. In contrast, binary fission and mitosis reproduce genetically identical offspring since no DNA is exchanged between individuals; budding is another form of asexual reproduction that mainly copies the parent genome, with variation arising only from rare mutations. Therefore, conjugation is the process that increases genetic variation by exchanging genetic information between individuals.