alleryStart learning →Pili on a prokaryotic cell are used for which purpose?
AExchange of genetic material
BAttachment to a host cell
CLocomotion of the whole cell
DProtection against drying out
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Exchange of genetic material
1. Some prokaryotes carry flagella, pili or fimbriae on their surface.
2. Pili are used to exchange genetic material during a type of reproduction called conjugation.
3. Fimbriae, not pili, are what bacteria use to attach to a host cell.
4. Flagella are the structures used for locomotion.
5. Pili serve the exchange of genetic material.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Cell Structure", section 4.2 Prokaryotic Cells_
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