sex pili
(Science: cell biology) fine filamentous projections (pili) on the surface of a bacterium that are important in conjugation. Often seem to be coded for by plasmids that confer conjugative potential on the host, in the case of the f plasmid, the f pili are 8-9nm diameter and several microns long, composed of pilin. Whether the pili merely serve to establish and maintain adhesive contact between the partners in conjugation or whether dNA is actually transferred through the central core of the pilus is still unresolved, although a simple adhesion role is more generally accepted.
Dictionary > Sex pili
You will also like...
Animal Water Regulation
Animals adapt to their environment in aspects of anatomy, physiology, and behavior. This tutorial will help you understa..
Plant Water Regulation
Plants need to regulate water in order to stay upright and structurally stable. Find out the different evolutionary adap..
The Water Cycle
The water cycle (also referred to as the hydrological cycle) is a system of continuous transfer of water from the air, s..
Adaptation Tutorial
Adaptation, in biology and ecology, refers to the process or trait through which organisms or the populations in a habit..
Plant Biology
Plantlife can be studied at a variety of levels, from the molecular, genetic and biochemical level through organelles, c..
The Origins of Life
This tutorial digs into the past to investigate the origins of life. The section is split into geological periods in the..