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The persistence of parasitic plasmids.

Loukia N Lili¹, Nicholas F Britton, Edward J Feil

¹Department of Mathematical Sciences , University of Bath, BA2 7AY, Bath, United Kingdom.

|September 25, 2007

Summary

This study reevaluates plasmid persistence models, finding less stringent conditions for maintenance. Purely parasitic plasmids can persist without host heterogeneity, showing population oscillations.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Mathematical Biology
Genetics

Background:

Plasmid persistence is crucial for bacterial genetics and evolution.
Previous models suggested stringent conditions for plasmid maintenance.
The role of host population heterogeneity in plasmid persistence is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To reevaluate the mathematical models of plasmid persistence.
To determine the conditions under which plasmids can be maintained in host populations.
To investigate the persistence of purely parasitic plasmids.

Main Methods:

Reevaluation of ordinary differential equations used in prior plasmid persistence models.
Mathematical modeling to analyze parameter spaces for plasmid maintenance.

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Simulation of plasmid-host population dynamics.

Main Results:

The parameter space required for plasmid maintenance is less stringent than previously thought.
Purely parasitic plasmids can persist even without host population heterogeneity.
Plasmid persistence is characterized by oscillations or damped oscillations between plasmid-bearing and plasmid-free populations.

Conclusions:

Existing models for plasmid persistence may be overly restrictive.
Parasitic plasmids can be evolutionarily stable under broader conditions.
Population dynamics, including oscillations, are key to understanding plasmid persistence.