Mating bridge
A mating bridge, also known as a conjugation or population bridge, is a connection between two bacterial cells that provides a passageway for DNA in bacterial conjugation.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Bacterial_Conjugation_en.png/220px-Bacterial_Conjugation_en.png)
A mating bridge is different from a sex pilus, which is a structure made by an F+ strain bacterium in bacterial conjugation. The pili (plural) act as attachment sites that promote the binding of bacteria to each other. In this way, an F+ strain makes physical contact with an F− strain. Once contact is made, the pili shorten and thereby draw the donor and recipient cells closer together. A conjugation bridge is then formed between the two cells, which provides a passageway for DNA transfer.[1]
References
- ^ Brooker, Robert J (2012). Genetics: Analysis and Principles. New York: Janice Roerig-Blong. pp. 164, 165, G-4. ISBN 9780073525280.