Plasmid mutation rates scale with copy number.

ABSTRACT: Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules that spread by horizontal transfer and shape bacterial evolution. Plasmids are typically present at multiple copies per bacterial cell, and these extra copies increase the supply of plasmid mutations, potentially accelerating their evolution. However, the segregation of plasmid copies to daughter cells is random, introducing an additional layer of genetic drift, termed segregational drift, that might delay plasmid evolution. The interplay between plasmid mutational supply and segregational drift determines the evolutionary rate of plasmid-encoded genes, yet the relative contribution of these opposite forces in plasmid evolution remains unclear. Here, we develop a population genetics framework to predict the rate of plasmid mutations in bacterial

SUBMITTER: Ramiro-Martinez P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846797 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature