Question

The physical interaction happens through a structure called the ______ or ______ which are tubular extensions of the cell and is done through transfer of the F FACTOR, which is a mobile element that is really a plasmid

Answer 1

Conjugation is a biological process where DNA is transferred from one bacterial cell to another via a structure called the F pilus or sex pilus, facilitated by the F plasmid.

Step-by-step explanation:

The physical interaction in bacteria through which DNA, usually a plasmid, is transferred from one cell to another is known as conjugation. The structure that facilitates this process is called the F pilus, also referred to as the sex pilus. These tubular extensions connect the donor cell, which contains the F factor (or F plasmid), to the recipient cell. The F plasmid carries the genes required for the formation of the F pilus as well as for the process of conjugation, wherein a single-stranded DNA is transferred and converted into double-stranded DNA in the recipient cell. This mechanism is crucial in bacterial reproduction and genetic diversity, and it also plays a role in the spread of antibiotic resistance due to the transfer of R plasmids.