Separation of donor and recipient bacteria by column chromatography

When donor and recipient strains of Escherichia coli were added to columns containing Cellex-P (a cation-exchange cellulose), more than 80% of the female cells passed through the column but only 11% or less of the male cells were eluted. However, when donor strains were blended before their addition to the column, the majority of these cells were eluted. These results indicated that the filamentous appendages termed F pili (which are removed by blending) were the structures responsible for the adherence of donor cells to the cellulose.