Transfer of genetic information from agrobacteria to bacterial and plant cells: membrane and supramembrane structures involved in transfer

This review deals with supramembrane and membrane structures that are invol ved in the initial contact (attachment, docking) during bacterium-bacterium and bacterium-plant cell transmission of genetic information. The linkage between attachment of the donor cell to the surface of the recipient cell a nd the processes of infection and conjugation is discussed. Experimental da ta on pill that were recently found in Agrobacterium and surface protein (r hicadhesin), which are involved in conjugative transfer of plasmids between agrobacteria, are considered. In the context of the recently proven simila rity of the mechanisms of agrobacterial transformation of plants to conjuga tive transfer in bacteria, the role of adhesive and conjugative pill of E. coli in the initial and close contacts are addressed. Models are proposed f or the involvement of pill in conjugative transfer of agrobacterial DNA acr oss the membranes of the donor and recipient (bacterial and plant) cells.