Explanation: pili are special extension of bacterial cell which are made for conjugation in bacterial cell, whereas cilia do not perform this function. cilia and pili do provide some common benefits to the bacterial cell like to adhere to a surface, help in movement and gather food.

Which structure is a pilus?

The pilus is a hair-like structure associated with bacterial adhesion and related to bacterial colonization and infection. Pili are primarily composed of oligomeric pilin proteins, which arrange helically to form a cylinder.

What does a Pilus?

A pilus (Latin for “hair;” plural: pili) is a hairlike appendage found on the surface of many bacteria. The terms pilus and fimbria (Latin for “thread” or “fiber,” plural: fimbriae ) can be used interchangeably, although some researchers reserve the term pilus for the appendage required for bacterial conjugation.