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What are the differences between transfection and transduction?
Posted July 10, 2023
Answer
Basis of differentiation | Transfection | Transduction |
Definition | Is a gene transfer method in which the genetic material is deliberately introduced into another cell using chemical or non-chemical carriers in eukaryotic cells | Is a biological gene transfer method in which bacterial DNA from one bacterium are transferred to another using a virus or viral vectors |
Mechanism | Is achieved by opening the transient pores in the cell membranes, through which the genetic material is transferred | Is achieved when the virus or viral vector infects the host cell and inserts its genetic material and recombined fragment of DNA into bacterial genome |
Mediated by | Is mediated by chemical or non-chemical methods | Is mediated by viral vectors |
Nature of the method | Is a non-biological gene transfer method that may be performed using chemical and physical methods | Is a biological gene transfer method that is triggered by viruses or viral vectors |
Types of vectors | Plasmids, cosmids, HACs (human artificial chromosomes), BACs (bacterial artificial chromosome and YACs, (yeast artificial chromosomes) can be used in transfection | Viral vectors such as retroviruses and lentiviruses are used in transduction |
Tools used | Uses a gene gun, electroporation and lipofection techniques | Uses viral vectors such as bacteriophages |
Types of techniques | 3 types:
| 2 types:
|