<P> Bacterial conjugation is the transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells by direct cell - to - cell contact or by a bridge - like connection between two cells . It is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer as are transformation and transduction although these two other mechanisms do not involve cell - to - cell contact . </P> <P> Bacterial conjugation is often regarded as the bacterial equivalent of sexual reproduction or mating since it involves the exchange of genetic material . However, it is not sexual reproduction, since no exchange of gamete occurs . During conjugation the donor cell provides a conjugative or mobilizable genetic element that is most often a plasmid or transposon . Most conjugative plasmids have systems ensuring that the recipient cell does not already contain a similar element . </P>

The ability of different strains of bacteria to acquire genes via conjugative elements is called