Role of pili in bacterial conjugation.
We describe techniques for isolating individual pairs of mating Escherichia coli and observing them under the light microscope. Some pairs achieved close cell-to-cell contact, whereas others remained loosely connected by invisible connections which may be F pili. After 30 min of mating, the pairs were separated and allowed to grow into clones. That many exconjugants derived from "loose"-mating pairs produced recombinants suggests that F pili are involved in the transfer of genetic material. The frequency of formation of recombinants from "close"-mating pairs, however, was significantly higher than that from loose-mating pairs, indicating that a close cell-to-cell contact facilitates chromosome transfer. Death rates of exconjugants from close pairs were also higher than those from loose pairs. Hfr x F(-) matings produced higher death rates than F(+) x F(-) matings. Male cells were found capable of transferring genetic markers to two F(-) cells simultaneously. We conclude that F pili play at least three roles in mating: (i) they initiate contacts between mating pairs; (ii) they facilitate the transfer of genetic material; and (iii) they draw mating cells into a close contact which increases the fertility of the union.
D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D003090:Coliphages; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D003470:Culture Media