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Definition

noun

The process in bacterial cells in which two bacterial cells come together in a temporary fusion to transfer genetic material via the plasmid (either as solitary or as part of a chromosome) from the donor cell to the recipient cell.

Supplement

Bacterial conjugation is a beneficial process in bacteria since they can acquire a gene that confers survival or a novel characteristic which enables them to thrive in harmful conditions or to utilize a new metabolite. It is through this process that resistance to antibiotics can be transferred from one bacterial cell to another.

See also: conjugation tube