MeSH Browser

MeSH Heading: Pili, Sex
Tree Number(s): A11.284.180.690; A20.867
Unique ID: D018933
RDF Unique Identifier: http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D018933
Annotation: do not confuse with COMMON PILI see FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL
Scope Note: Filamentous or elongated proteinaceous structures which extend from the cell surface in gram-negative bacteria that contain certain types of conjugative plasmid. These pili are the organs associated with genetic transfer and have essential roles in conjugation. Normally, only one or a few pili occur on a given donor cell. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed, p675) This preferred use of "pili" refers to the sexual appendage, to be distinguished from bacterial fimbriae (FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL), also known as common pili, which are usually concerned with adhesion.
Entry Term(s): Conjugative Pili; Pili, Conjugative; Sex Pili; Sex Pilus
Previous Indexing: Fimbriae, Bacterial (1980-1994); specific bacteria/cytology (1969-1974); specific bacteria/ultrastructure (1975-1979)
See Also: Conjugation, Genetic
Public MeSH Note: 95
History Note: 95
Date Established: 1995/01/01
Date of Entry: 1994/10/25
Revision Date: 2009/07/06

Allowable Qualifiers: chemistry (CH)

classification (CL)

drug effects (DE)

enzymology (EN)

genetics (GE)

immunology (IM)

metabolism (ME)

microbiology (MI)

parasitology (PS)

pathology (PA)

physiology (PH)

radiation effects (RE)

transplantation (TR)

ultrastructure (UL)

virology (VI)

Concept UI: M0028302
Scope Note: Filamentous or elongated proteinaceous structures which extend from the cell surface in gram-negative bacteria that contain certain types of conjugative plasmid. These pili are the organs associated with genetic transfer and have essential roles in conjugation. Normally, only one or a few pili occur on a given donor cell. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed, p675) This preferred use of "pili" refers to the sexual appendage, to be distinguished from bacterial fimbriae (FIMBRIAE, BACTERIAL), also known as common pili, which are usually concerned with adhesion.
Terms: Pili, Sex Preferred Term
Term UI T056436
Date01/01/1999
LexicalTag NON
ThesaurusID NLM (1995); Pili, Conjugative
Term UI T056433
Date10/25/1994
LexicalTag NON
ThesaurusID NLM (1995); Sex Pili
Term UI T056435
Date10/25/1994
LexicalTag NON
ThesaurusID NLM (1995); Conjugative Pili
Term UI T056432
Date10/25/1994
LexicalTag NON
ThesaurusID NLM (1995); Sex Pilus
Term UI T056434
Date10/25/1994
LexicalTag NON
ThesaurusID NLM (1995)

Pili, Sex MeSH Descriptor Data 2024