Question

Formation of a GMO may involve vertical or horizontal gene transfer?

Answer 1

Answer is: horizontal or lateral gene transfer.

Explanation:

Normally genes are transferred vertically with the genetic material:
from mother cell to daughter cells or from parents to offspring. Vertical transmission takes place within same species.

Transfer of genetic material from one species to another is not so uncommon in nature as happens during viral TRANSDUCTION and bacterial TRANSFORMATION.

In genetic engineering, selected desirable genes of one species are inserted in genome of another species in the controlled conditions of a laboratory: such lateral or horizontal gene transfer creates a genetic modification in the recipient organism which is now called a GMO/genetically modified organism.