Fig. 6A: F+ Conjugation, Step-1
The F+ bacterium has an F+
plasmid containing Tra genes coding for mating pair formation and the production of a conjugation pilus (sex pilus or F+ pilus) and oriT genes for initiation of DNA transfer.
The first step in F+ conjugation involves a conjugation pilus ( F+ pilus) on the donor bacterium binding to a recipient bacterium lacking a F+ pilus.