Conjugation Assay for Antimicrobial Resistance Plasmids in Salmonella enterica

The conjugation assay is an essential technique for investigating horizontal gene transfer and assessing the mobility of antimicrobial resistance plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae. Here we describe a commonly used method for performing conjugation experiments to quantify resistance plasmid transfer in Salmonella enterica under laboratory conditions. It outlines the required materials, experimental conditions, and verification of transconjugants. The method is applicable to most plasmid incompatibility groups within Enterobacteriaceae and can be adapted to other bacterial species.