The process by which a cell in culture acquires the ability to divide indefinitely, similar to the division of cancer veils; a change in genotype and phenotype due to the assimilation of external DNA by a cell, when the external DNA is from a member of a different species, transformation results in horizontal gene transfer. The exchange contains homologous DNA segments. The cell is now a recombinant, its chromosome contains DNA derived from 2 different cells

Transformation

Explanation: Transformation is the genetic alteration of a cell resulting from the direct uptake and incorporation of exogenous genetic material from its surroundings through the cell membrane. For transformation to take place, the recipient bacteria must be in a state of competence, which might occur in nature as a time limited response to environmental conditions such as starvation and cell density, and may also be induced in a laboratory.

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