Final answer:
It takes roughly 100 minutes for the full Hfr E. coli genome to be transferred by conjugation, but transfer of the entire integrated F plasmid may not occur due to the temporary nature of cell-to-cell contact.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount of time it takes for an integrated copy of the F plasmid to replicate itself by conjugation under standard lab conditions depends on the proximity of genes to the integration site of the plasmid. However, it is known that it takes approximately 100 minutes for the entire genome (4.6 Mbp) of an Escherichia coli (E. coli) Hfr strain to be transferred by conjugation. Since conjugation is a process where contact between bacterial cells is temporary and often interrupted before the entire chromosome is transferred, the entire integrated F plasmid may not be transferred to an F- cell. Mapping of the E. coli genome has historically been accomplished by measuring the time it takes for genetic markers to be transferred during this type of conjugation, as it helps to establish the relative position of these markers on the bacterial chromosome.