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Effect of Zn²⁺ on Bacterial Conjugation: Increase in Ability of F^– Cells to Form Mating Pairs

¹ The Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111

ABSTRACT

Incubation of F^– cells at 37 C with 10^–3 M Zn²⁺ before mating was found to increase the ability of F^– cells to form mating pairs when mated. This increased pair-forming ability is persistent, at least for the duration of mating. The F^– cells with increased pair-forming ability obtained by the 10^–3 M Zn²⁺ treatment can form mating pairs efficiently with males from which F pili were removed or inactivated with 10^–3 M Zn²⁺.