A1 Journal article (refereed)
Conjugation is necessary for a bacterial plasmid to survive under protozoan predation (2016)
Cairns, J., Jalasvuori, M., Ojala, V., Brockhurst, M., & Hiltunen, T. (2016). Conjugation is necessary for a bacterial plasmid to survive under protozoan predation. Biology Letters, 12(2), Article 20150953. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0953
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Cairns, Johannes; Jalasvuori, Matti; Ojala, Ville; Brockhurst, Michael; Hiltunen, Teppo
Journal or series: Biology Letters
ISSN: 1744-9561
eISSN: 1744-957X
Publication year: 2016
Volume: 12
Issue number: 2
Article number: 20150953
Publisher: The Royal Society Publishing
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0953
Research data link: http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.t1b23
Publication open access: Not open
Publication channel open access:
Additional information: Data accessibility (Dryad): http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.t1b23
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer by conjugative plasmids plays a critical role in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Interactions between bacteria and other organisms can affect the persistence and spread of conjugative plasmids. Here we show that protozoan predation increased the persistence and spread of the antibiotic resistance plasmid RP4 in populations of the opportunist bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens. A conjugation-defective mutant plasmid was unable to survive under predation, suggesting that conjugative transfer is required for plasmid persistence under the realistic condition of predation. These results indicate that multi-trophic interactions can affect the maintenance of conjugative plasmids with implications for bacterial evolution and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes.
Free keywords: conjugation; evolution of antibiotic resistance; protozoan predation; RP4 plasmid; Serratia marcescens; Tetrahymena thermophila
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2016
JUFO rating: 2