Final answer:
The rolling circle replication mechanism is used by the F plasmid during the process of conjugation, where a single-stranded copy of the plasmid is transferred to the recipient F- cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mode of DNA replication in the F plasmid that uses a rolling circle mechanism is involved in the F plasmid's transmission during the process of conjugation. During this process, the F+ (donor) cell transfers a single-stranded copy of the F plasmid to an F- (recipient) cell through a cytoplasmic bridge formed by the retraction of the F pilus. The single-stranded DNA that enters the recipient cell is then converted into a double-stranded molecule, effectively converting the F- cell into an F+ cell. This is one of the distinct ways that prokaryotic cells can exchange genetic material, differing from binary fission which is the common method of bacterial cell replication.