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How is genetic information exchanged in bacteria?
That's fascinating! How does the DNA transfer work during conjugation?
During conjugation, one bacterium (the donor) extends a pilus - a long, thin projection - towards another bacterium (the recipient). The pilus makes contact with the recipient, and a pore is formed between the two bacteria. The donor bacterium then passes a small DNA molecule, called a plasmid, through the pore to the recipient. The plasmid DNA can then either replicate independently or integrate into the recipient's chromosome.