What is the function of the F-pilus?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Let’s break down what the F-pilus is generally known to do and evaluate each option in that light.
Option a: 'Prevents phagocytosis by host cells' — This statement is not accurate for the F-pilus. Preventing phagocytosis is more characteristic of virulence factors or capsules that help bacteria evade the immune system, rather than the explicit function of the F-pilus in gene transfer.
Option b: 'Transfers plasmids from one strain to another' — This aligns with the well-established role of the F-pilus (F sex pilus) in conjugation, serving as the mating bridge during horizontal gene transfer and enabling the transfer of plasmids between bacterial cells.
Option c: 'Helps stick bacteria to surfaces' — Pili can be involved in adhesion in some contexts, but the F-pilus is specifically associated with DNA transfer during conjugation rather than primary surface adhesion. Other structures or pili (like fimbriae) are more typically implicated in sticking to surfaces.
Option d: 'Helps invade gut epithelial cells' — While some bacterial factors contribute to invasion, the F-pilus’s classical function is not invasion of epithelial cells; it is the conjugation apparatus for plasmid transfer, not a direct invasion mechanism.
In considering the key concept, the central purpose of the F-pilus is to facilitate contact between donor and recipient cells to enable plasmid transfer, rather than immune evasion, adhesion, or invasion through epithelial barriers. Therefore, among the options, the statement about plasmid transfer most accurately reflects the F-pilus’s role, while the other choices describe different bacterial behaviors or mechanisms that are not primarily attributed to the F-pilus.

What is the function of the F-pilus?

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