Answer :
Final answer:
Yes, lineages of bacteria can include both pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains. An example includes E. coli, which generally exists harmlessly in human flora but can acquire genes to create toxic, pathogenic strains. Genetic transfer is often facilitated by plasmids, and non-pathogenic bacteria can become pathogenic under certain conditions.
Explanation:
Yes, it is true that lineages of bacteria may include both pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains of the same bacterial species. For instance, Escherichia coli is a type of bacterium that predominantly exists as a harmless part of the human gut microbiota, but pathogenic strains like enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) also exist. These pathogenic strains have developed due to the acquisition of new genes enabling them to produce toxins and cause illnesses. This genetic transfer can occur between prokaryotes through small circular pieces of double-stranded DNA known as plasmids. Fascinatingly, non-pathogenic bacteria can gain pathogenicity when exposed to certain conditions. For instance, they can become pathogenic when incubated in a broth containing heat-treated, pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, it is key to remember that while all pathogenic prokaryotes are bacteria, not all bacteria are pathogenic.
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