Final answer:
Lederberg and Tatum concluded that bacteria can exchange genetic information through conjugation, that this exchange is unidirectional, and that it allows for gene mapping on bacterial chromosomes, indicating a form of bacterial sexual cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
From the experiments conducted by Joshua Lederberg and Edward Tatum, they were able to conclude the following four key things:
Bacteria can exchange genetic information through a process called conjgation.
The genetic exchange is unidirectional, from a donor cell to a recipient cell.
The process allowed for mapping of genes on bacterial chromosomes.
Conjugation and recombination provide evidence for the existence of a bacterial sexual cycle, despite bacteria being single-celled organisms.
These conclusions were significant as they shed light on bacterial genetics and laid the groundwork for understanding bacterial recombination and inheritance.