{"id":1559,"date":"2020-08-14T01:38:46","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T01:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/medical-genetics\/bacterial-genetics\/conjugation\/"},"modified":"2020-12-25T01:31:21","modified_gmt":"2020-12-24T23:31:21","slug":"conjugation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/medical-genetics\/bacterial-genetics\/conjugation\/","title":{"rendered":"Conjugation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Conjugation is a method of genetic exchange where DNA transfer from a donor to a recipient cell is mediated by physical contact. Conjugation is horizontal gene transfer.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we begin, it is important to state what the ‘F factor’<\/strong> is. The F factor also called the fertility factor, is a plasmid<\/strong>(plasmids are discussed in the Bacterial Genetics: Introduction lesson)<\/em> that is carried by the donor bacteria\/donor cell. Cells that possess it are called f+ cells<\/strong>, those without are called f- cells<\/strong>. It is also important to note that genetic exchange by conjugation involves the plasmids, not the chromosomal DNA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steps of Conjugation<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
  1. The donor bacteria\/donor cell makes the pilus that connects it with the recipient bacteria\/cell. <\/li>
  2. The F factor is cut at the origin of transfer by the relaxosome and initiates a sequence of events that allows the plasmid\/F factor to enter the pilus by binding to a coupling factor. <\/li>
  3. This allows a section of the plasmid\/F factor to be transported to the recipient. The part of the plasmid\/F factor given to the recipient cell is called T-DNA(Transfer DNA). <\/li>
  4. T-DNA in recipient cells is converted to circular DNA by the enzyme relaxase and is replicated to become a double-stranded plasmid\/F factor. <\/li>
  5. The single-stranded plasmid\/F factor in the donor cell also replicates(remember that a part of it; the T-DNA was removed from it). <\/li>
  6. The pilus is removed and both cells are now f+ cells. This means that they can repeat this process and conjugate with other f- cells.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    Figure 1:<\/strong> A simplified version of the stages of conjugation<\/strong> (Credit: Mike Jones, CC BY-SA 2.5)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

    Hfr cells vs F’ cells<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

    Hfr stands for high frequency of recombination. In Hfr cells<\/strong>, the F factor contains an insertion sequence and by homologous recombination, it will insert itself into the chromosomal DNA. A bacteria that has the F factor inserted into its DNA is known as a Hfr cell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"
    Figure 2: Formation of Hfr cells<\/strong> (Credit: Ac.shrader<\/a>, CC BY-SA 4.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The cell that is formed when an episome<\/strong>(episomes are discussed in the Bacterial Genetics: Introduction lesson)<\/em> detaches itself from the DNA of a Hfr cell is known as an F’ cell<\/strong>. This means that a bacterial cell can go from an f- cell to f+ to Hfr and finally to an F’ cell(this does not happen for all bacteria but it is an option\/possibility for some bacteria).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n<\/span>

    Steps of Conjugation<\/h4>

    Hfr cells vs F’ cells<\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Before we begin, it is important to state what the ‘F factor’ is. The F factor also called the fertility factor, is a plasmid(plasmids are discussed in the Bacterial Genetics: Introduction lesson) that is carried by the donor bacteria\/donor cell. Cells that possess it are called f+ cells, those without are called f- cells. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1412,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1559","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nConjugation – Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/medical-genetics\/bacterial-genetics\/conjugation\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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