Conjugative plasmids are widespread and play an important role in bacterial evolution by
accelerating adaptation through horizontal gene transfer. However, explaining the long-term …

It is difficult to understand plasmid maintenance in the absence of selection and theoretical
models predict the conditions for plasmid persistence to be limited. Plasmid-associated …

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 …

Plasmids are autonomously replicating genetic elements that are ubiquitous in all taxa and
habitats where they constitute an integral part of microbial genomes. The stable inheritance …

As infectious agents of bacteria and vehicles of horizontal gene transfer, plasmids play a key
role in bacterial ecology and evolution. Plasmid dynamics are shaped not only by plasmid …

Rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are a threat to global health. The spread of
AMR genes in bacteria is driven to a large extent by the action of plasmids (1). Plasmids are …

Some plasmids can be transferred by conjugation to other bacterial hosts. But almost half of
the plasmids are non-transmissible. These plasmid types can only be transmitted to the …

Conjugative plasmids drive genetic diversity and evolution in microbial populations. Despite
their prevalence, plasmids can impose long-term fitness costs on their hosts, altering …

The global dissemination of plasmids encoding antibiotic resistance represents an urgent
issue for human health and society. While the fitness costs for host cells associated with …

Plasmid fitness is directed by two orthogonal processes—vertical transfer through cell
division and horizontal transfer through conjugation. When considered individually …