Pilus
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A pilus is a hair-like cell-surface appendage found on many bacteria and archaea. The terms pilus and fimbria can be used interchangeably, although some researchers reserve the term pilus for the appe
This figure depicts fimbriae adhesion. In this process the fimbriae of a bacterial cell (right) adhere to specific proteins, called receptors, found on the outer membrane of a host cell (left). They do this by a specific interaction between the receptors of the host cell and the perfectly matched adhesions found on the bacteria's fimbriae. This process of bacteria adhering to a host cell can result in the colonization of that host cell as more and more bacteria collect around it, and is integral to the continued survival of the bacteria, enabling them to infect tissues and entire organs.
Type IVa pilus machine architectural model
Plasmid
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A plasmid is a small, extrachromosomal DNA molecule within a cell that is physically separated from chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently. They are most commonly found as small circular, dou
Pilus
…of DNA from the donor to the recipient. Typically, the DNA transferred consists of the genes required to make and transfer pili (often encoded on a plasmid), and so is a kind of selfish DNA; however, other pieces of DNA are often co-transferred and this can result in dissemination of genetic traits throughout…
Electron micrograph of a DNA fiber bundle, presumably of a single bacterial chromosome loop
Electron micrograph of a bacterial DNA plasmid (chromosome fragment)
Insulin