Extension of the previous card: Binomial/Binary fission.

What it is and what all is required:

• Bacterial conjugation is one process through which bacteria diversify and get better at adapting.

• For the conjugation process to occur you need two cells, one f+, and one f- (F+ means positive fertility factor, meaning it can produce sex pilus and F-)

• Bacteria have two main chromosomes, bacterial chromosomes and Plasmid Chromosomes. These two DNA plays an important role in the conjugation process.

• Once transcribed and translated the genes of the plasmid which is only there in the f+ cell will turn into sex pilus, basically a tube that connects the f+ and f- cells.

• Once connected, the Plasmid will duplicate itself and send the copy to the f-cell, making it an f+ cell used for further reproduction, adaptation, and survival. (Will explain how)

Another conjugation process:

• There is another conjugation process that happens which is slightly different, where rather than making the sex pilus first the bacteria mixes with the bacterial chromosomes. This results in HFR(High-Frequency Recombinant cell, basically the bacterial chromosomes and Plasmid chromosomes are incorporated), and when this happens the plasmid although can make sex pilus, won't be able to duplicate itself, so then how will the f- cell adapt, well although the entire plasmid does not go to the f- cell, some portion of the plasmid chromosome and bacterial chromosome will enter the f- cell, resulting in the Recombinant f- cell.

Significance of Conjugation:

• The most important need of conjugation is for the bacterial cells to have the plasmid which can make beta-lactamase after transcribed and translated turns into Beta-lactamase which can nullify the effect of anti-biotic against bacteria, a basic survival adaptation that happens because of conjugation.