From conjugation to T4S systems in Gram‐negative bacteria: a mechanistic biology perspective

Conjugation is the process by which bacteria exchange genetic materials in a unidirectional manner from a donor cell to a recipient cell. The discovery of conjugation signalled the dawn of genetics and molecular biology. In Gram‐negative bacteria, the process of conjugation is mediated by a large membrane‐embedded machinery termed “conjugative type IV secretion (T4S) system”, a large injection nanomachine, which together with a DNA‐processing machinery termed “the relaxosome” and a large extracellular tube termed “pilus” orchestrates directional DNA transfer. Here, the focus is on past and latest research in the field of conjugation and T4S systems in Gram‐negative bacteria, with an emphasis on the various questions and debates that permeate the field from a mechanistic perspective.