Fig. 6: Proposed model of conjugation.
From: Mating pair stabilization mediates bacterial conjugation species specificity
a, Low-efficiency DNA transfer occurs in the absence of MPS. Where a suitable TraN receptor is not present in the recipient, conjugation occurs without intimate attachment, resulting in a baseline conjugation frequency. b, High-efficiency transfer occurs when MPS is successful, potentially through the intimate attachment of cells and the transmission of a signal to the core machinery. The conduit for DNA transfer across the recipient membranes remains unknown and is represented by the dashed box. IM, inner membrane.
