Final answer:
Conjugation is a process in which DNA is directly transferred from one prokaryote to another through a conjugation pilus. During conjugation, an enzyme nicks the F factors, initiating the transfer of the bacterial chromosome.
Step-by-step explanation:
During conjugation, an enzyme nicks the F factors, which initiates the transfer of the bacterial chromosome. Conjugation is a process in which DNA is directly transferred from one prokaryote to another through a conjugation pilus. In E. coli, the F-plasmid genes encode both the proteins composing the F pilus and those involved in rolling circle replication of the plasmid.