The difference between generalized and specialized transduction is:

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The difference between generalized and specialized transduction is that in generalized transduction, any DNA can be moved, whereas in specialized transduction, only certain DNA near the phage site can be moved. This is because in generalized transduction, the phage infects a bacterial cell and mistakenly packages a random piece of bacterial DNA instead of its own DNA. In contrast, in specialized transduction, the phage integrates into a specific site in the bacterial chromosome, and when it excises, it can take adjacent bacterial genes with it. Therefore, specialized transduction is a more targeted form of gene transfer compared to generalized transduction. The size of the plasmids or phages being moved is not a defining characteristic of these two types of transduction.

The Difference Between Generalized and Specialized Transduction Is