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Related Concept Videos

Plasmids01:28

Plasmids

Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules found in bacteria, archaea, and some eukaryotic microbes like yeast. These small, circular DNA structures typically contain fewer than 30 genes, although some may exist linearly. Plasmids vary in their number within a cell, known as copy number. Single-copy plasmids are present in one copy per cell and multi-copy plasmids are present in multiple copies, reaching over 100 copies per cell.Plasmids usually replicate independently of the chromosomal DNA...
Transposons01:24

Transposons

Transposons, or "jumping genes," are small mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that range from 700 to 40,000 base pairs in length. They are found in all organisms and can move within the same chromosome or transfer to different chromosomes. In some cases, transposons can also jump between different host DNA molecules, such as plasmids or viruses, contributing to genetic variability.Barbara McClintock first discovered these mobile genetic elements in the 1940s while studying maize genetics, and she...
Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
Conjugation01:19

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 Conjugation01:19

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli
06:56

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli

Published on: March 24, 2023

Mobility of plasmids.

Chris Smillie1, M Pilar Garcillán-Barcia, M Victoria Francia

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, CNRS, URA2171, F-75015 Paris, France.

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR
|September 1, 2010
PubMed
Summary

This study introduces a computational method to identify plasmid mobility genes. It reveals that half of plasmids are nonmobilizable, with distinct evolutionary paths for conjugation systems.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • Plasmids are crucial for horizontal gene transfer and genetic engineering.
  • They carry genes for vital microbial functions like antibiotic resistance and virulence.
  • Plasmid mobility mechanisms are well-studied in models, but genome-wide identification is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a computational protocol for identifying and classifying plasmid conjugation and mobilization modules.
  • To analyze mobility systems across a large plasmid dataset.

Main Methods:

  • Reviewed existing data and literature.
  • Established a computational protocol to identify and classify genetic modules.
  • Analyzed 1,730 plasmids for conjugation and mobilization systems.

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Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach
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Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach

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High-Resolution Comparison of Bacterial Conjugation Frequencies

Published on: January 10, 2019

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Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli
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Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli

Published on: March 24, 2023

Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach
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Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach

Published on: December 14, 2019

High-Resolution Comparison of Bacterial Conjugation Frequencies
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High-Resolution Comparison of Bacterial Conjugation Frequencies

Published on: January 10, 2019

  • Classified systems based on mating pair formation and relaxase families.

    • Main Results:

    • Half of the analyzed plasmids are nonmobilizable; half of the remainder are conjugative.
    • Specific conjugative systems show varying abundance and associations with plasmid size and host clades.
    • Large plasmids are often nonmobilizable, suggesting secondary chromosome domestication.
    • Mobility protein evolution shows ancient divergence, with patterns reflecting host prokaryote phylogeny.
    • New relaxases in archaea and conjugation systems in cyanobacteria and actinobacteria were identified.

    Conclusions:

    • Plasmid mobility is largely conserved within prokaryotic clades.
    • Core genes like T4CPs and relaxases drive conjugation evolution.
    • The protocol enables large-scale characterization of plasmid mobility.
    • Identified new mobility systems across diverse microbial domains.