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Bacterial Conjugation

Conjugation is the transfer of DNA between bacteria through direct cell-to-cell contact, which depends on the presence of a conjugative plasmid. There are three main types of bacterial conjugation: F+ x F- mating where genes are unidirectionally transferred from the donor F+ strain to the recipient F- strain; Hfr conjugation where the donor strain's chromosome is transferred along with plasmid genes; and F' conjugation where a portion of the donor chromosome integrates into the F plasmid. Conjugation has also been observed in gram-positive bacteria like Enterococci faecalis but involves fewer transfer genes.

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Iqra Mujeeb
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57 views

Bacterial Conjugation

Conjugation is the transfer of DNA between bacteria through direct cell-to-cell contact, which depends on the presence of a conjugative plasmid. There are three main types of bacterial conjugation: F+ x F- mating where genes are unidirectionally transferred from the donor F+ strain to the recipient F- strain; Hfr conjugation where the donor strain's chromosome is transferred along with plasmid genes; and F' conjugation where a portion of the donor chromosome integrates into the F plasmid. Conjugation has also been observed in gram-positive bacteria like Enterococci faecalis but involves fewer transfer genes.

Uploaded by

Iqra Mujeeb
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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By Iqra Mujeeb

Bacterial Genetics
(BS Microbiology) 8th

Bacterial Faculty of Life Sciences

Conjugation
TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introduction
• History
• F+ x F- Mating
• Hfr Conjugation
• F' Conjugation
• Other Examples of Bacterial Conjugation
• Conclusion
INTRODUCTION

3
CONJUGATION

• The transfer of DNA by direct cell-to-cell contact


• Depends on the presence of a conjugative plasmid

4
PLASMIDS ARE EPISOMES

5
BEST-STUDIED CONJUGATIVE PLASMID

• F factor
• It plays a major role in conjugation in E. coli
• 100,000 bases long
• Bears genes responsible for
• Cell attachment and plasmid transfer

6
7
IS ELEMENTS

8
9
10
JOSHUA LEDERBERG AND EDWARD TATUM
EXPERIMENT

Two auxotrophic Incubate the culture in


strains nutrient medium

Recombinant
prototrophic colonies Plated it on minimal
appeared on the medium
minimal medium 11
12
F+ X F-
MATING

13
IN 1952, WILLIAM HAYES
• Demonstrated that
• The gene transfer observed by Lederberg and Tatum was
unidirectional
• There were
• Definite donor (F+, or fertile)
• Recipient (F-, or non-fertile) strains
• Gene transfer was non-reciprocal

• He also found that in F+ X F- mating:


• The progeny were only rarely changed
• However, F- strains frequently became F+
14
EXPLANATION

15
16
ROLLING-CIRCLE
REPLICATION

17
CONTINUATION OF F+ F- CONJUGATION

18
19
HFR
CONJUGATION

20
IN THIS TYPE OF CONJUGATION

• The donor transfers chromosomal genes with great efficiency but


does not change the recipient bacteria into F+ cells.
• Because of the high frequency of recombinants produced by this
mating,
• It is referred to as Hfr conjugation and the donor is called an Hfr strain.

21
HFR STRAINS
• Hfr strains contain the F factor integrated into their chromosome, rather than
free in the cytoplasm
• When integrated, the F plasmid's tra operon is still functional;
• The plasmid can
• direct the synthesis of pili,
• carry out rolling-circle replication,
• transfer genetic material to an F- recipient cell

22
HOWEVER

• Rather than transferring just itself, the F factor also directs the
transfer of the host chromosome

23
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DIRECTION AND FATE OF THE DONOR
CHROMOSOME

1. Bacterial genes are transferred to the recipient in either a clockwise


or a counterclockwise direction around a circular chromosome,
• depending on the orientation of the integrated F factor.

2. After the replicated donor chromosome enters the recipient cell,


• it may be degraded or
• incorporated into the F- genome by recombination

25
F' CONJUGATION

26
A PORTION OF THE CHROMOSOME
BECOMES PART OF THE F PLASMID

27
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OTHER EXAMPLES OF BACTERIAL
CONJUGATION
29
ALTHOUGH MOST RESEARCH ON PLASMIDS
AND CONJUGATION HAS BEEN DONE

• Although most research on plasmids and conjugation has been done using
• E. coli and other Gram-negative bacteria
• But for gram positive bacteria
• much less is known about these systems
• It appears that fewer transfer genes are involved,
• possibly because a sex pilus may not be required for plasmid transfer

30
FOR EXAMPLE, Enterococci faecalis

31
CONCLUSION

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TAKE AWAY MESSAGE

33
WHAT IS CONJUGATION?

The transfer of DNA

Direct cell-to-cell contact

Depends on the presence of a


conjugative plasmid
34
1. F+ X F- MATING

35
2. Hfr CONJUGATION

36
3. F' CONJUGATION

37
OTHER EXAMPLE OF
CONJUGATION

38
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