The transfer of genes during bacterial conjugation involves rigid, tubular appendages called ______.

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The transfer of genetic material during bacterial conjugation involves the formation of a physical bridge between two bacterial cells called a conjugation bridge. This bridge is formed by a special type of rigid, tubular appendage that extends from the surface of the donor cell and attaches to the recipient cell. These appendages are called sex pili or conjugation pili. Fimbriae are another type of appendage found on bacterial cells, but they are shorter and more numerous than sex pili and are involved in attachment to surfaces. Periplasmic flagella and axial filaments are internal flagella found in some bacterial species, and cilia are only found in eukaryotic cells.

The Transfer of Genes During Bacterial Conjugation Involves Rigid, Tubular