horizontal gene transfer
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMouse Genetic Background Affects Transfer of an Antibiotic Resistance Plasmid in the Gastrointestinal TractAntibiotic resistance is a threat to public health. Many clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes are carried on plasmids that can be transferred to other bacterial members in the gastrointestinal tract. The current study used a murine model to study the transfer of a large antibiotic resistance plasmid from a foodborne Salmonella strain to a gut commensal E...
Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyRole of Horizontal Gene Transfer in the Development of Multidrug Resistance in Haemophilus influenzaeHaemophilus influenzae colonizes the respiratory tract in humans and causes both invasive and noninvasive infections. As a threat to treatment, resistance against critically important antibiotics is on the rise in H. influenzae. Identifying mechanisms for horizontal acquisition of resistance genes...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceBiofilm Formation Drives Transfer of the Conjugative Element ICEBs1 in Bacillus subtilisTransfer of mobile genetic elements from one bacterium to another is the principal cause of the spread of antibiotic resistance. However, the dissemination of these elements in environmental contexts is poorly understood. In clinical and environmental settings, bacteria are often found living in multicellular communities encased in a matrix, a structure known as a biofilm. In this study, we examined how forming a biofilm influences the...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary SciencePrey Range and Genome Evolution of Halobacteriovorax marinus Predatory Bacteria from an EstuaryPredatory bacteria attack and digest other bacteria and therefore may play a role in shaping microbial communities. To investigate phenotypic and genotypic variation in saltwater-adapted predatory bacteria, we isolated Halobacteriovorax marinus BE01 from an estuary in Rhode Island, assayed whether it could attack different prey bacteria, and sequenced and analyzed its...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCRISPR-Cas and Restriction-Modification Act Additively against Conjugative Antibiotic Resistance Plasmid Transfer in Enterococcus faecalisEnterococcus faecalis is a bacterium that normally inhabits the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other animals. Although these bacteria are members of our native gut flora, they can cause life-threatening infections in hospitalized patients. Antibiotic resistance genes appear to be readily shared among high-risk...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceHighly Variable Streptococcus oralis Strains Are Common among Viridans Streptococci Isolated from PrimatesStreptococcus pneumoniae is a rare example of a human-pathogenic bacterium among viridans streptococci, which consist of commensal symbionts, such as the close relatives Streptococcus mitis and S. oralis. We have shown that...