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Pili, Sex MeSH Descriptor Data 2024


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
Pili, Sex Preferred
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