Genetic Transfer in Bacterial Mating

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Abstract
U is evident that at present no definite conclusion can be drawn from the experiments that we have summarized. The rapidity with which transfer is initiated implies that it is directly triggered by contact with the recipient cells and does not require that the donor cells reach a special stage in their division cycle. Although certain of the results obtained with inhibitors of DNA synthesis suggest that transfer is not dependent on DNA replication, the DNA transferred under conditions of inhibition has in case been characterized. Consequently it is not yet certain whether or not that DNA is replicated. On the other hand, the various approaches used to characterize the DNA transferred under normal conditions have in general indicated that it does replicate before entering the recipient cell. In the case of transfer by Hfr cells, there is good evidence that the replication takes place simultaneously with transfer. Since this approach appears to us to be the most direct and reliable one, we believe that the basic characteristics of the transfer process are in accord with the model proposed by Jacob and Brenner. It does, however, remain to be proved that the observed replication of donor DNA is a necessary condition for transfer.