Mechanistic divergence between SOS response activation and antibiotic-induced plasmid conjugation in <i>Escherichia coli</i>.

ABSTRACT: The SOS response is a critical DNA damage repair mechanism in bacteria, designed to counteract genotoxic stress and ensure survival. This system can be activated by different classes of antimicrobial agents, each inducing the SOS response through different mechanisms. Moreover, it has been observed that certain antibiotics can enhance conjugative plasmid transfer frequencies. However, while previous studies have suggested that the SOS response contributes to horizontal transfer of certain genes, its role in plasmid conjugation remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the SOS response and conjugation of IncI1 and IncFII plasmids harboring various bla_CTX-M resistance genes. Results showed that cefotaxime and mitomycin C induced both the SOS r

SUBMITTER: Zhao R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12211044 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature