What is the primary characteristic of transformation in bacteria?

The primary characteristic of transformation in bacteria is the uptake of free DNA from the environment. This process allows bacteria to incorporate genetic material from their surroundings, which can originate from lysed cells that release DNA into the environment. When a bacterium encounters this free DNA, it can take it up through its cell membrane and incorporate it into its own genome, leading to changes in its genetic traits.

This uptake can result in new phenotypes, such as antibiotic resistance or the ability to utilize new substrates, depending on the nature of the DNA taken up. Unlike other processes in bacterial genetics, such as conjugation or transduction, transformation specifically involves naked DNA that is not contained within a plasmid or derived from a viral source.