Which genetic process allows bacteria to acquire DNA from their surroundings without cell division?

Natural transformation allows bacteria to acquire DNA from their surroundings without cell division.

During natural transformation, a competent bacterial cell takes up DNA fragments released by other cells. Some of the imported DNA can recombine with the recipient’s chromosome, giving the cell a new heritable trait. The DNA may also be maintained in another form in some circumstances.

Transformation is one form of horizontal gene transfer, alongside conjugation and transduction. Conjugation usually involves direct cell-to-cell DNA transfer, while transduction uses bacteriophages as carriers. Transformation is evolutionarily important because it can spread useful variants, including some genes associated with antibiotic resistance, among bacterial populations.