In recent years, we have seen antimicrobial resistance rapidly emerge at a global scale and
spread from one country to the other faster than previously thought. Superbugs and …

Since the first genome-scale comparisons, it has been evident that the genomes of many
species are unbound by strict vertical descent: Large differences in gene content can occur …

The'plasmid paradox'arises because, although plasmids are common features of bacterial
genomes, theoretically they should not exist: rates of conjugation were believed insufficient …

In the absence of antibiotic-mediated selection, sensitive bacteria are expected to displace
their resistant counterparts if resistance genes are costly. However, many resistance genes …

Plasmid acquisition is an important mechanism of rapid adaptation and niche expansion in
prokaryotes. Positive selection for plasmid-coded functions is a major driver of plasmid …

Antibiotic resistance encoded on plasmids is a pressing global health problem. Predicting
which plasmids spread in the long term remains very challenging, even though some key …

Plasmid conjugation is a major mechanism responsible for the spread of antibiotic
resistance. Plasmid fitness costs are known to impact long‐term growth dynamics of …

With plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance thriving and threatening to become a serious
public health problem, it is paramount to increase our understanding of the forces that …

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

Antibiotic resistance is one of the major problems facing medical practice in the 21st century.
Historical approaches to managing antibiotic resistance have often focused on individual …