**Transformation** is a process by which a cell directly takes up exogenous genetic material (such as DNA), and incorporates it as a component of its own DNA. This results in the development of traits as defined by the information in the exogenous genetic material.

The process of transformation was demonstrated by one of the experiments of Frederick Griffith. It was shown that a harmless strain of bacteria was able to “transform” into a harmful strain by taking up exogenous DNA released by a harmful strain that was heat-killed.

The main goal of the process of transformation is to have a cell (such as a bacterium) take up exogenous genetic material and incorporate it as a component of its own DNA.

In order for transformation to be successful, the exogenous genetic material *must be incorporated* into the cell’s DNA. Some genetic markers can be used to detect this process.

It may be possible to label the exogenous genetic material with a marker. This would help determine whether the cell has taken up and incorporated the material into its chromosomes.

a genetic marker is used to identify the foreign DNA during the transformation process

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Plasmid DNA has a DNA sequence which promotes plasmid replication. It ensures that the sequence will be replicated. The plasmid has a genetic marker, which allow researchers to distinguish cells with the foreign DNA.

In bacteria, the transformation occurs once the plasmid that has the foreign DNA was able to get into the bacteria’s own DNA. As a result, the bacterial cell containing the gene will manage to replicate by itself.

On the other hand, the transformation of plant cells occur once the plant cell’s chromosome has managed to take the recombinant plasmid.