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. 1970 Jun;102(3):648–654. doi: 10.1128/jb.102.3.648-654.1970

Role of Pili in Bacterial Conjugation1

Jonathan T Ou a, Thomas F Anderson a
PMCID: PMC247607  PMID: 4914070

Abstract

We describe techniques for isolating individual pairs of mating Escherichia coli and observing them under the light microscope. Some pairs achieved close cell-to-cell contact, whereas others remained loosely connected by invisible connections which may be F pili. After 30 min of mating, the pairs were separated and allowed to grow into clones. That many exconjugants derived from “loose”-mating pairs produced recombinants suggests that F pili are involved in the transfer of genetic material. The frequency of formation of recombinants from “close”-mating pairs, however, was significantly higher than that from loose-mating pairs, indicating that a close cell-to-cell contact facilitates chromosome transfer. Death rates of exconjugants from close pairs were also higher than those from loose pairs. Hfr × F− matings produced higher death rates than F+ × F− matings. Male cells were found capable of transferring genetic markers to two F− cells simultaneously. We conclude that F pili play at least three roles in mating: (i) they initiate contacts between mating pairs; (ii) they facilitate the transfer of genetic material; and (iii) they draw mating cells into a close contact which increases the fertility of the union.

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Selected References

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