Question

Which of the following statements about conjugation is true? View Available Hint(s)for Part B Which of the following statements about conjugation is true?

a.Only competent cells can undergo conjugation.
b.One strand of DNA from an F+ cell integrates into the chromosome of an F- cell, and the other strand is degraded.
c.DNA is transferred from an F+ cell to an F− cell.
d.The F factor is an element that is found in the chromosome of an F+ cell.

Answer 1

Statement c, indicating that DNA is transferred from an F+ cell to an F- cell during the process of conjugation, is true. In E. coli conjugation, an F+ cell donates one strand of its F plasmid's DNA to an F- cell, where it replicates to become double stranded.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of prokaryotic cell biology, the term conjugation refers to the process through which DNA is directly transferred from one prokaryote to another. This transfer often involves sex pili and a conjugation tube. Notably, when discussing E. coli conjugation, the F plasmid or fertility factor is central to this process.

Statement c, which states that DNA is transferred from an F+ cell to an F− cell, is the correct statement about conjugation. The F+ cell, being the donor, contains the F plasmid and can form a sex pilus, initiating conjugation with an F- cell. During this process, one strand of the F plasmid's DNA is transferred to the F− recipient cell and then replicates within that cell. If the F plasmid integrates into the host's chromosomal DNA, it can then lead to the formation of an Hfr cell, which can transfer portions of chromosomal DNA to an F− cell.