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Related Concept Videos

Conjugation01:19

Conjugation

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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...
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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...
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Mechanism of Conjugation01:19

Mechanism of Conjugation

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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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Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

Evolution of Microbial Genome

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Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
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Transduction01:16

Transduction

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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...
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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

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Multi-host environments select for host-generalist conjugative plasmids.

Anastasia Kottara1, James P J Hall1, Ellie Harrison1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

BMC Evolutionary Biology
|April 4, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Plasmids evolved higher conjugation rates in all environments. Evolution in single-host environments created specialist plasmids, while multi-host environments led to generalist plasmids by circumventing fitness trade-offs.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbial evolution
  • Bacterial genetics
  • Horizontal gene transfer

Background:

  • Conjugative plasmids are key drivers of bacterial evolution, facilitating gene transfer within and between species.
  • Plasmid host range is a critical factor limiting interspecific horizontal gene transfer.
  • This study investigates the evolutionary dynamics of plasmid host range in controlled environments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally assess the impact of single-host versus multi-host environments on the evolution of plasmid host range.
  • To observe the evolutionary adaptation of a conjugative mercury resistance plasmid (pQBR57) in isolation from host evolution.

Main Methods:

  • The conjugative plasmid pQBR57 was evolved in either single bacterial host species (P. fluorescens or P. putida) or alternating between these two species.
  • Bacterial hosts were maintained in a non-evolving state to isolate plasmid evolutionary responses.
  • Conjugation rates and fitness costs in different hosts were monitored over time.

Main Results:

  • Plasmids consistently evolved increased conjugation rates across all experimental treatments.
  • Plasmids evolved in single-host environments showed host-specific adaptation, incurring fitness costs in alternative hosts.
  • Plasmids evolved in multi-host environments adapted to P. fluorescens without increased costs in P. putida, indicating trade-off circumvention.

Conclusions:

  • Single-host evolution favors the development of host-specialist plasmids due to fitness trade-offs.
  • Multi-host environments enable the evolution of host-generalist plasmids by overcoming these fitness trade-offs.
  • Environmental context is a critical determinant of plasmid evolutionary trajectories and host range.