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Conjugation

Conjugation

Conjugation is a form of horizontal gene transfer that primarily occurs in bacteria and some archaea, promoting genetic diversity and adaptation. Bacteria can acquire resistance genes through conjugative plasmids, allowing them to survive antibiotic treatments that would otherwise be lethal. This process involves direct contact between cells through specialized structures such as the sex pilus and is mediated by conjugative plasmids, including the F (fertility) factor.Conjugation requires...

Mechanism of Conjugation

Mechanism of Conjugation

Bacterial conjugation is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer that enables the exchange of genetic material between bacterial cells through direct contact. This process is facilitated by a donor cell carrying a conjugative plasmid, which encodes genes necessary for pilus formation, DNA replication, and transfer. The conjugative plasmid plays a central role in initiating and executing the transfer of genetic material.The tra region of the conjugative plasmid encodes proteins responsible for...

Transduction

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...

Bacterial Transformation

Bacterial Transformation

In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...

Bacterial Transformation

Bacterial Transformation

In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.

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Using Coculture to Detect Chemically Mediated Interspecies Interactions

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[Conjugative chromosomal gene transfer in Bacillus subtilis].

O V Lotareva, V Z Nezametdinova, A A Prozorov

|September 29, 2007

Summary

Researchers describe the conjugative transfer of tetracycline and lincomycin resistance genes in Bacillus subtilis. This chromosomal gene transfer, mediated by a hybrid plasmid, resembles sexduction observed in gram-negative bacteria.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Bacterial genetics
Horizontal gene transfer

Context:

Soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis 19 exhibits antibiotic resistance.
Conjugative plasmids play a role in bacterial adaptation and evolution.
Understanding gene transfer mechanisms is crucial for combating antibiotic resistance.

Purpose:

To describe the mechanism of conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in Bacillus subtilis.
To investigate the role of plasmid insertion in facilitating chromosomal gene transfer.
To compare the observed gene transfer process with known mechanisms like sexduction.

Summary:

A 20-kb chromosomal fragment containing tetracycline (tet(r)) and lincomycin (lin(r)) resistance genes in Bacillus subtilis 19 was conjugatively transferred.

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Conjugative Mating Assays for Sequence-specific Analysis of Transfer Proteins Involved in Bacterial Conjugation

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Published on: January 4, 2017

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This transfer was facilitated by the insertion of the chromosomal fragment into the conjugative pl9cat plasmid, forming a hybrid plasmid.

The sequential transfer of chromosomal and plasmid genes mimicked sexduction, a process previously observed in Gram-negative bacteria.

Impact:

This study elucidates a novel mechanism for horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance in Bacillus species.
The findings contribute to understanding the mobility of resistance genes in soil microbial communities.
Provides insights into the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance, relevant for One Health approaches.