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Related Concept Videos

Plasmids01:28

Plasmids

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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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Lysogenic Cycle of Bacteriophages00:43

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In contrast to the lytic cycle, phages infecting bacteria via the lysogenic cycle do not immediately kill their host cell. Instead, they combine their genome with the host genome, allowing the bacteria to replicate the phage DNA along with the bacterial genome. The incorporated copy of the phage genome is called the prophage. Some prophages can re-activate and enter the lytic cycle. This often occurs in response to a perturbation, such as DNA damage, but can also transpire in the absence of...
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DNA Bacteriophages01:26

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Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, utilizing their genetic material to hijack host cellular machinery for replication. DNA bacteriophages employ single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes. These phages exhibit diverse replication strategies and host interactions, influencing their ecological roles and applications in biotechnology and medicine.ssDNA BacteriophagesssDNA phages, with their small genomes, utilize unique strategies to...
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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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Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle01:16

Viral Replication: Lysogenic Cycle

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The lysogenic cycle is a crucial viral replication strategy that allows bacteriophages to persist within host cells without immediately destroying them. This process is primarily observed in temperate phages, such as bacteriophage lambda (λ), which infects Escherichia coli. The cycle allows the viral genome to persist across bacterial generations while keeping host cells viable.Integration of the Viral GenomeUpon infection, bacteriophage lambda attaches to the bacterial surface and injects...
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Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

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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.
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Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach
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Staphylococcal phages and pathogenicity islands drive plasmid evolution.

Suzanne Humphrey1, Álvaro San Millán2, Macarena Toll-Riera3

  • 1Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK.

Nature Communications
|October 7, 2021
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Phages and phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs) can transfer non-transmissible plasmids between bacteria through generalized transduction. This mechanism explains plasmid size distribution and aids antimicrobial resistance spread.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacteriology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Conjugation is the primary known mechanism for plasmid transfer in bacteria.
  • The existence of non-transmissible plasmids suggests alternative spread mechanisms.
  • The size of many non-transmissible plasmids resembles that of phages or phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of phages and PICIs in the transfer of non-transmissible plasmids.
  • To understand the factors influencing the size distribution of non-conjugative plasmids.
  • To explore the implications for bacterial evolution and antimicrobial resistance transmission.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Staphylococcus aureus phages and PICIs.
  • Demonstrated plasmid transfer via generalized transduction.
  • Analyzed plasmid packaging efficiency and capsid capacity.

Main Results:

  • Phages and PICIs mediate intra- and inter-species plasmid transfer in Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Staphylococcal PICIs enhance plasmid packaging efficiency.
  • Phages and PICIs impose selective pressure on plasmid size, explaining observed bimodal distributions.

Conclusions:

  • Phages and PICIs are significant agents in the spread of non-transmissible plasmids.
  • These transducing agents play a crucial role in bacterial plasmid evolution.
  • The findings suggest a potential role in the transmission of antimicrobial resistance.