A1 Journal article (refereed)
Black Queen Evolution and Trophic Interactions Determine Plasmid Survival after the Disruption of the Conjugation Network (2018)

Cairns, J., Koskinen, K., Penttinen, R., Patinen, T., Hartikainen, A., Jokela, R., Ruusulehto, L., Viitamäki, S., Mattila, S., Hiltunen, T., & Jalasvuori, M. (2018). Black Queen Evolution and Trophic Interactions Determine Plasmid Survival after the Disruption of the Conjugation Network. mSystems, 3(5), Article 00104-18. https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00104-18

JYU authors or editors

Penttinen, Reetta
Mattila, Sari
Kiviaho, Katariina
Jalasvuori, Matti

Publication details

All authors or editors: Cairns, Johannes; Koskinen, Katariina; Penttinen, Reetta; Patinen, Tommi; Hartikainen, Anna; Jokela, Roosa; Ruusulehto, Liisa; Viitamäki, Sirja; Mattila, Sari; Hiltunen, Teppo; et al.

Journal or series: mSystems

ISSN: 2379-5077

eISSN: 2379-5077

Publication year: 2018

Volume: 3

Issue number: 5

Article number: 00104-18

Publisher: American Society for Microbiology

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00104-18

Research data link: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.10gk660

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/60036

Abstract

Mobile genetic elements such as conjugative plasmids are responsible for antibiotic resistance phenotypes in many bacterial pathogens. The ability to conjugate, the presence of antibiotics, and ecological interactions all have a notable role in the persistence of plasmids in bacterial populations. Here, we set out to investigate the contribution of these factors when the conjugation network was disturbed by a plasmid-dependent bacteriophage. Phage alone effectively caused the population to lose plasmids, thus rendering them susceptible to antibiotics. Leakiness of the antibiotic resistance mechanism allowing Black Queen evolution (i.e. a “race to the bottom”) was a more significant factor than the antibiotic concentration (lethal vs sublethal) in determining plasmid prevalence. Interestingly, plasmid loss was also prevented by protozoan predation. These results show that outcomes of attempts to resensitize bacterial communities by disrupting the conjugation network are highly dependent on ecological factors and resistance mechanisms.

Keywords: bacteria; evolution; antibiotic resistance; plasmids; horizontal gene transfer; predation

Free keywords: Black Queen evolution; conjugation; trophic levels

Fields of science: