During bacterial conjugation, you wish to examine genes associated with the F plasmid of your bacterial strain of interest, as you believe it possesses an additional gene. You can easily determine the presence or absence of the gene associated with the plasmid. To investigate this possibility, you must allow conjugation between your strain and a compatible strain that is:

A) an Hfr strain.
B) another F+ strain.
C) an F' strain.
D) an F- strain.
E) the same F+ strain.

To explore the possibility of an additional gene associated with the F plasmid, bacterial conjugation should be performed with an F- strain, hence the correct answer is option D) an F- strain.

Explanation:

To investigate the possibility of your bacterial strain of interest possessing an additional gene associated with the F plasmid, you must allow conjugation between your strain and a compatible strain that is D) an F- strain. This is because, during bacterial conjugation, the transfer of the F plasmid or associated genetic material happens between a bacterium possessing the F plasmid (F+ or Hfr cell) and a recipient bacterium that lacks the F plasmid (F- cell).

The use of an F- strain enables the detection of genetic transfer, thereby facilitating the examination of the presence or absence of the additional gene within the F plasmid. The mating with an F- strain will not involve the complexities of additional chromosomal DNA transfer that would occur if an Hfr or F' cell is used as the donor.