1. The bacterium with an R-plasmid is multiple antibiotic resistant and can produce a sex pilus (serve as a genetic donor).
2. The sex pilus adheres to an F^- recipient. One strand of the R-plasmid breaks.
3. The sex pilus retracts and a bridge is created between the two bacteria. One strand of the R-plasmid enters the recipient bacterium, the other remains in the donor.
4. Both bacteria make a complementary strand of the R-plasmid and both are now multiple antibiotic resistant and capable of producing a sex pilus.