Highlights•Plasmid evolution reviewed from the perspective of plasmids.•Mobility, stability,
and indispensability largely determine plasmid lifestyles.•Changes in plasmid traits facilitate …

The rapid emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues to be an issue
difficult to deal with, especially in the clinical, animal husbandry, and food fields. The …

Agricultural use of antibiotics is recognized by the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention as a major contributor to antibiotic-resistant infections. While most One Health …

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae has caused a global
pandemic with high prevalence in livestock and poultry, which could disseminate into the …

Bacterial survival during antibiotic exposure is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. On
top of antibiotic resistance genes, biofilm formation, and persister tolerance, bacterial …

Infections caused by the bacterial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii are a mounting
concern for healthcare practitioners as widespread antibiotic resistance continues to limit …

Acinetobacter baumannii is a notorious pathogen that has emerged as a healthcare
nightmare in recent years because it causes serious infections that are associated with high …

Enterococcus faecium is a commensal but also a bacteremia causing pathogen, which is
inherently resistant to several antimicrobials and has a great ability to acquire new traits …

Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane inhibiting the entry of antibiotics. Porins,
found within the outer membrane, are involved in regulating the permeability of β-lactam …

Background Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays a central role in microbial evolution. Our
understanding of the mechanisms, frequency, and taxonomic range of HGT in polymicrobial …