Plasmid invasion assays [Dataset]

Plasmid invasion of a susceptible population along time (x axis), expressed as transconjugants per donor (Y axis) <b>A)</b> Invasion dynamics of wild-type plasmids pKM101 (red dots) and R388 (black dots) obtained at two different donor: recipient ratios (1:100 and 1:10,000). Asterisks over t = 60, t = 90 and t = 120 minutes indicate statistically significant differences between plasmids pKM101 and R388 with p < 0.05 (*) B) Mobilization dynamics obtained with TRA genes from PKM101 (<i>tra</i>_N, red) and <i>tra</i> genes from R388 (<i>tra</i>_<i>W</i>, black) integrated in the chromosome of E. coli. The mobilizable plasmid contained the MOB region of the corresponding plasmid. Differences between plasmids were statistically significant with p < 0.01(***) for all time points analysed C) Differences in the dynamics of conjugation (black) and mobilization (red) in plasmid pKM101. Mobilization assays were perform using a vector containing <i>mob</i>_N harboured by a strain that contained the <i>tra</i>_N genes inserted in the chromosome. Conjugation dynamics were obtained using the wild type pKM101 plasmid. Statistical differences were observed at t = 90 (* p < 0.05) and t = 120 (** p < 0.01) D) Comparison of plasmid R388 conjugation dynamics (black dots) vs R388-derived constructions. Black dots correspond to the wild-type plasmid transferred to a recipient strain that contains an empty pBAD expression vector. Green dots represent values obtained in conjugations where donors contained wild-type R388, and recipients harboured a pBAD::pifC construction, able to block secondary transmission. White dots correspond to the mobilization of a plasmid containing the <i>mob</i> region of plasmid R388 from a strain harbouring a chromosomal integration of the Tra_W genes. Black lines indicate comparisons between groups (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001). When not explicitly indicated, the comparison between measurements was non statistically significant (n.s.).