What is the term for the uptake of foreign DNA by a bacterium from its environment?

The correct term for the uptake of foreign DNA by a bacterium from its environment is transformation. This process allows bacteria to incorporate exogenous genetic material into their own genomes, which can lead to new traits such as antibiotic resistance or the ability to metabolize different substrates. Transformation typically occurs when a bacterium takes up naked DNA fragments that are released into the environment, often from dead bacterial cells. In laboratory settings, this process can be facilitated to introduce specific genetic changes into target bacterial strains.

Conjugation, on the other hand, is a method of horizontal gene transfer that involves the direct transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another through a physical connection, typically a pilus, rather than from the environment. Transduction involves the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria), which is also distinct from transformation. Lastly, transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template, which is unrelated to the uptake of foreign DNA.