Which of the following is NOT a type of asexual reproduction in bacteria?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A) Binary fission: This is a common method of asexual reproduction in bacteria where a single cell divides into two identical daughter cells.
B) Conjugation: This is a process in which genetic material is transferred between bacterial cells through direct cell-to-cell contact, leading to genetic recombination.
C) Budding: Budding is a form of asexual reproduction where a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud on the parent organism.
D) Transduction: Transduction is a method of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria where genetic material is transferred from one bacterium to another by a bacteriophage (a virus that infects bacteria). It is not a form of asexual reproduction in bacteria.
Therefore, the correct answer is D) Transduction, as it is not a type of asexual reproduction in bacteria but a mechanism of genetic exchange.