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conjugation (prokaryotes)
Conjugation
is the process by which one bacterium transfers genetic material to another
through direct contact. During conjugation, one bacterium serves as the donor
of the genetic material, and the other serves as the recipient. The donor
bacterium carries a DNA sequence called the fertility factor, or F-factor. The
F-factor allows the donor to produce a thin, tubelike structure called a pilus,
which the donor uses to contact the recipient. The pilus then draws the two
bacteria together, at which time the donor bacterium transfers genetic material
to the recipient bacterium. Typically, the genetic material is in the form of a
plasmid, or a small, circular piece of DNA. The genetic material transferred
during conjugation often provides the recipient bacterium with some sort of
genetic advantage. For instance, in many cases, conjugation serves to transfer
plasmids that carry antibiotic resistance genes.