What is the difference between transformation and conjunction of bacteria?

In bacteria, transformation is the process of taking in external DNA and integrating it into the genome. This happens from external media to the inside of the cell through cell membranes. In order for transformation to take place, the bacteria must face some sort of competition for survival, such as starvation or limited growth resources. Frederick Griffith first demonstrated transformation in 1928 and used this experiment to provide the now-famous Transforming Principle.

The term "conjunction of bacteria" refers to the joining of two bacteria through physical contact, wherein the genetic material is exchanged. One of the bacteria is the donor, and the other is the recipient of the DNA. The donor possesses a unique Fertility Factor, or F-factor, which is a method of horizontal gene transfer and is frequently thought of as sexual reproduction in bacteria. In this scenario, the recipient frequently obtains genetic information that is useful, such as antibiotic resistance.

Transformation involves the uptake of foreign genetic material by bacteria, typically through the uptake of DNA fragments from the surrounding environment. Conjugation, on the other hand, is a process where genetic material is transferred between bacterial cells through direct cell-to-cell contact using a pilus.