What process allows recombinant DNA to be inserted into bacteria using a bacteriophage?

The correct process that allows recombinant DNA to be inserted into bacteria using a bacteriophage is transduction. Transduction occurs when a bacteriophage, which is a virus that infects bacteria, carries genetic material from one bacterium to another. In this process, the bacteriophage binds to the surface of a bacterial cell and injects its genetic material, which can include fragments of recombinant DNA. This DNA can then integrate into the host bacterial genome, allowing the bacteria to acquire new traits.

Transformation, on the other hand, refers to the direct uptake of free DNA from the environment by a bacterium, and conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for the transfer of genetic material. Transfection typically describes the process of introducing nucleic acids into eukaryotic cells using various methods, which is distinct from the mechanisms employed in bacterial gene transfer. Hence, transduction specifically highlights the role of bacteriophages in facilitating the transfer of recombinant DNA into bacteria, making it the correct answer.