What is the name of the process by which a cell takes up DNA from its surroundings?

Natural transformation is the process by which a cell takes up DNA from its surroundings.

In naturally competent bacteria, DNA released from other cells can bind to the cell surface and enter the cell. A surviving fragment may then recombine with the chromosome or persist in another form, giving the recipient a new heritable trait.

This process differs from conjugation, which transfers DNA through direct cell-to-cell contact, and transduction, in which a bacteriophage carries DNA between bacteria. Natural transformation is also distinct from laboratory transformation, where researchers deliberately introduce DNA into cells using chemical or physical methods.

Competence is often regulated by the cell and may occur only under particular environmental conditions. The process contributes to horizontal gene transfer and can spread useful genes, including some antibiotic-resistance determinants, through microbial populations.