The F pilus serves as a conduit for the DNA during conjugation between physically distant bacteria

Goldlust, K; Ducret, A; Halte, M; Dedieu-Berne, A; Erhardt, M; Lesterlin, C

Journal article

The F pilus serves as a conduit for the DNA during conjugation between physically distant bacteria

Abstract:: Plasmid conjugation is a major route for the dissemination of antibiotic resistances and adaptive genes among bacterial populations. Obtaining precise conjugation rates is thus key to understanding how antibiotic resistances spread. Plasmid conjugation is typically modeled as a density-dependent process, where the formation of new transconjugants depends on the rate of encounters between donor and receptor cells. By analyzing conjugation dynamics at different cell concentrations, here we show that this assumption only holds at very low bacterial densities. At higher cell concentrations, conjugation becomes limited by the engagement time, the interval required between two successful matings. Plasmid conjugation therefore follows a Holling´s Type II functional response, characterized by the encounter rate and the engagement time, which represent, respectively, the density and frequency-dependent limits of plasmid transmission. Our results demonstrate that these parameters are characteristic of the transfer machinery, rather than the entire plasmid genome, and that they are robust to environmental and transcriptional perturbation. Precise parameterization of plasmid conjugation will contribute to better understanding the propagation dynamics of antimicrobial resistances.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation Project PCI2021-122067-2A funded by MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR and by Project PID2019-110216GB-I00 funded by MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033 to RF-L, and MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 PID2020-117923GB-I00 to FdlC and MPGB, by the Spanish Ministry of Universities (FPU21/05415 to DG-L) and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BES-2015-073463 to JR-G, linked to project BFU2014-55534-C2-1-P). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Publication status:: Published

Peer review status:: Peer reviewed

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APA Style

Goldlust, K., Ducret, A., Halte, M., Dedieu-Berne, A., Erhardt, M., & Lesterlin, C. (2023). The F pilus serves as a conduit for the DNA during conjugation between physically distant bacteria. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(47), e2310842120–e2310842120.

MLA Style

Goldlust, K, et al. “The F Pilus Serves as a Conduit for the DNA during Conjugation between Physically Distant Bacteria.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 120, no. 47, 2023, pp. e2310842120–e2310842120.

Chicago Style

Goldlust, K, A Ducret, M Halte, A Dedieu-Berne, M Erhardt, and C Lesterlin. 2023. “The F Pilus Serves as a Conduit for the DNA during Conjugation between Physically Distant Bacteria.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120 (47): e2310842120–e2310842120.
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