| Abstract: | A general mechanism of the nucleic acids transport through bacterial membranes during genetic transformation, transfection, viral infection and bacterial conjugation, has been developed. The uptake of nucleic acid occurs due to the symport with H+ ions down to an electrochemical potential gradient ("minus" inside) generated by respiration or ATP hydrolysis within recipient cells. The nucleic acid anions of non--lethal viruses are extruded from the negatively charged host cell cytoplasm by electrostatic repulsion. The difference of electrochemical potentials between the conjugating cells cytoplasms is considered as a driving force for the transport of DNA from the donor to the recipient cell. |
