F factor
F factor
F factor (pronounced /ɛf 'fæktər/), also known as F plasmid or Fertility factor, is a type of plasmid that allows bacteria to transfer genetic material to another bacterium via conjugation. The F factor was first discovered in Escherichia coli by Esther Lederberg and Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza in 1952.
Etymology
The term "F factor" is derived from the word "fertility", as it was first observed to increase the fertility of bacteria during conjugation. The term "plasmid" was coined by the American molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg in 1952, from the Greek words "plasma" (meaning "form" or "mold") and "-id" (meaning "offspring" or "descendant").
Function
The F factor is a circular DNA molecule separate from the bacterial chromosome. It carries genes necessary for its own replication and for the formation of sex pili, which are used to transfer the F factor to a recipient bacterium during conjugation. The F factor can also integrate into the bacterial chromosome, creating an Hfr cell.
Related terms
- Hfr cell: A bacterium with an F factor integrated into its chromosome.
- F' factor: A derivative of the F factor that carries some bacterial chromosomal genes.
- R plasmid: A type of plasmid that carries antibiotic resistance genes.
- Conjugation: The process by which one bacterium transfers genetic material to another bacterium.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on F factor
- Wikipedia's article - F factor
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