Resistance genes can be transmitted between 2 bacterial cells by the following mechanisms: Transformation (uptake of naked DNA from another organism) Transduction (infection by a bacteriophage) Conjugation (exchange of genetic material in the form of either plasmids, which are pieces of independently replicating extrachromosomal DNA, or transposons, which are movable pieces of chromosomal DNA) Plasmids and transposons can rapidly disseminate resistance genes.