Strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, particularly those that are multiresistant, are an
increasing major health care problem around the world. It is now abundantly clear that both …

Plasmids can mediate horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance, virulence genes, and
other adaptive factors across bacterial populations. Here, we analyze genomic composition …

Conjugation drives the horizontal transfer of adaptive traits across prokaryotes. One-fourth of
the plasmids encode the functions necessary to conjugate autonomously, the others being …

Bacterial conjugation mediates contact-dependent transfer of DNA from donor to recipient
bacteria, thus facilitating the spread of virulence and resistance plasmids. Here we describe …

Evolution is the hallmark of life. Descriptions of the evolution of microorganisms have
provided a wealth of information, but knowledge regarding “what happened” has precluded …

Horizontal gene transfer, mediated by conjugative plasmids, is a major driver of the global
rise of antibiotic resistance. However, the relative contributions of factors that underlie the …

Bacterial conjugation was first described by Lederberg and Tatum in the 1940s following the
discovery of the F plasmid. During conjugation a plasmid is transferred unidirectionally from …

Conjugation is a contact-dependent mechanism for the transfer of plasmid DNA between
bacterial cells, which contributes to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Here, we use …

Salmonella enterica is a common foodborne illness in the United States and globally. An
increasing number of Salmonella infections are resistant to antibiotics, and many of the …

Resistance plasmids play a crucial role in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance from the
veterinary sector to human healthcare. In this study plasmids from foodborne Escherichia …