Not So Mosaic After All? The Core Genomes of IncP-1 Plasmids Evolve Predominantly Through Vertical Transmission.

ABSTRACT: Broad-host-range plasmids of the incompatibility group IncP-1 play an important role in bacterial evolution by disseminating genes between diverse bacteria. This includes the notable spread of antibiotic resistance genes to bacterial pathogens that increasingly threaten human health. A better understanding of the evolution of genetic elements like IncP-1 plasmids that underwrite bacterial adaptation is required to counter this threat. Here we examined the evolutionary history of IncP-1 plasmids by utilizing the large increase in published genomes and advancing techniques for lineage-based detection of microbial recombination. We specifically tested whether IncP-1 backbone genes evolve primarily (1) through vertical transmission, or (2) horizontally through homologous recombin

SUBMITTER: Sneddon D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12667837 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature