Hfr cell
biology
Quick Summary
An Hfr cell is a bacterium that has an episome, which is a type of plasmid, integrated into its chromosome. These cells, along with F+ cells, act as donors during conjugation, a mating process in certain bacteria. During conjugation, an Hfr cell can transfer not only the episome but also chromosomal genes to a recipient F- cell. This process allows for the transfer of large portions of genes between bacteria, which can lead to bacteria acquiring traits from different species.12
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