Conjugation

Question	Answer
Method of Transfer	Movement of DNA by direct cell to cell contact
Recipient of DNA	Exconjugant
Form of DNA Transferred	Usually a plasmid, or as conjugated transposons (these must integrate into chromosomes)
How do plasmids pick up new genes?	Transposition (genes capable of independent replication) or excision from/insertion into the chromosome
Stage 1 of Conjugation	Surface Adhesions (Gram +) or Conjugative Pili (G-) mediate donor-cell interactions
Stage 2 of Conjugation	Mating Pair Junction is formed
Stage 3 of Conjugation	DNA (usually ss) is transferred
Stage 4 of Conjugation	The recipient synthesizes a complimentary strand to the ss DNA gained, as does the donor
Transfer Apparatus- Relaxosome	Contains OriT & Relaxase
Transfer Apparatus - Role of Relaxase	Cleaves DNA at OriT & binds to 5' of transferring strand
Transfer Apparatus- Type IV Secretion System	Encoded by mpf genes, it recognises Relaxase, not DNA
Transfer Apparatus- Connective Coupling Protein	Connects Relaxosome & T4SS
Key Conjugative Plasmid Genes- Stability Genes	Control segregation
Key Conjugative Plasmid Genes- Replication genes	Co-ordinate replication with host genome (so it replicates once per cell cycle)
Key Conjugative Plasmid Genes- Propogation genes	Ensure correct transfer between cells
Key Conjugative Plasmid Genes- Adaptation gene	The genes that confer the advantage

Resource summary

	Created by gina_evans0312 about 10 years ago