What are the differences between generalized and specialized transduction?

Basis of differentiation 

Generalized transduction 

Specialized transduction 

Definition 

Is a biological gene transfer method in which bacterial DNA from one bacterium are transferred to another by virulent or lytic bacteriophages

Is a biological gene transfer method in which bacterial DNA from one bacterium are transferred to another by temperate phages

DNA source

The phage carries random fragments from any part of DNA

The phage carries only a specific region of the DNA that is adjacent to prophage

Life cycle

Undergoes lytic cycle

Undergoes lysogenic cycle

Lysis of bacterial cell

Lyses quickly

Does not lyse quickly but is capable of surviving for several generations

Genetic material packaging

A portion of the donor bacterial DNA is enclosed within viral capsid 

During detachment from the bacterial chromosome, small portions of bacterial DNA remain attached to viral DNA and are packaged into new capsids

Integration of viral DNA

Viral DNA is not integrated into the bacterial chromosome

Viral DNA is integrated into the bacterial chromosome

Hydrolysis of bacterial DNA

Bacterial DNA hydrolyses into pieces 

Bacterial DNA is not hydrolyzed

Transfer mechanism 

Transfer takes place due to mistaken packaging during phage assembly

Transfer takes place due to excision of prophage with nearby DNA

Recipient Specificity

Less specific between different strains

Closely related strains with shared site

Transfer range

Transferred to any segment of the bacterial genome

Limited to specific genes or loci

Frequency

Relatively higher

Low 

Prophage formation

No prophage is formed 

Prophages are formed

Suitability for genetic mapping

Less suitable for precise mapping studies

Useful for precise genetic mapping

Applications

- Gene mapping  

- Mutagenesis

- To study linkage information

- To compare genomes of two different bacteria

- Isolation and insertion of genes of choice