What term describes the transfer of genetic material between two temporarily connected bacterial cells?

The transfer of genetic material between two temporarily connected bacterial cells is referred to as conjugation. In this process, one bacterium creates a physical connection, often through a structure called a pilus, to another bacterium. This allows for the direct transfer of DNA, usually in the form of plasmids, from one cell to the other. Conjugation is a significant mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria and plays a vital role in the spread of antibiotic resistance and other traits.

Transformation refers to the uptake of free DNA from the environment by a bacterial cell and does not involve direct connection between two cells. Transduction involves the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another through the mediation of a bacteriophage (a virus that infects bacteria), rather than direct cell-to-cell contact. Replication is the process by which a cell duplicates its DNA before cell division and does not involve genetic transfer between cells. Hence, conjugation specifically describes the temporary and direct exchange of genetic material between bacterial cells.