Answer:
The correct answer is: Attachment.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Pilus are thread like structures which are present on the surface of the bacterial cell.
- They are mainly responsible for attaching the bacterial cells to a substrate, for obtaining food or to an eukaryotic cell for the purpose of infection.
- Pilus also mediate the process of conjugation in some bacterial cells.
- Conjugation is a process by which genetic material or plasmids are transferred from one bacteria to another through a channel formed in between the two bacteria by the help of the pilus.
- Pilus also helps the bacteria by preventing them from getting recognised by the immune cells in the host.
- A defective pilus will affect all the above processes, resulting in death of the bacteria.