What is bacterial conjugation?

Bacterial conjugation is a process of horizontal gene transfer in which one bacterium transfers genetic material to another through direct cell-to-cell contact. This mechanism involves the formation of a physical bridge known as a conjugation pilus or F pilus, which allows the transfer of DNA from a donor cell (typically carrying a conjugative plasmid like the F plasmid) to a recipient cell. Unlike transformation and transduction, conjugation requires physical contact between the cells.