Conjugation follows a type II Functional response [Dataset]
Year: 2025
Type: dataset
Abstract: A) Scheme showing the conjugative transmission of a plasmid (red circle) in a population of susceptible cells under Density-Dependent Transmission (DDT). In this regime, conjugation (black arrows) occurs when a plasmid containing cell contacts a plasmid-free one. The number of transconjugant cells formed is thus equivalent to the number of Donor:Recipient encounters. The conjugation frequency thus increases linearly with increasingly available recipients. B) Scheme showing the conjugative transmission of a plasmid (red circle) in the same population of susceptible cells as in A), but under Frequency-Dependent Transmission (FDT). In this regime, conjugation (black arrows) is limited by the time required to complete the transfer event, thus not all Donor:Recipient contacts result in successful Transconjugant formation. The conjugation frequency is thus constant, regardless of the number of available recipients. C) Ideal number of transconjugants obtained per donor (y axis, T/D) as a function of the total cell concentration (x axis, N). In a Holling´s Type II functional response there is a density-dependent region where transconjugant formation increases proportionally with N (leftwards from the blue line). When N becomes saturating the formation of transconjugants does not scale any further with cell density and becomes frequency-limited (rightwards from the blue line). D, E, F) Transconjugants per donor ([T]/[D], y axis) obtained at different cell densities ([N], x axis) in conjugations using E. coli BW27783, on solid LB-agar surfaces matings and 1 h. conjugation time. Each graph corresponds to plasmids R388 (D), pKM101 (E) and RP4 (F). The black line represents the ideal DDT dynamics, while the red line represents the FDT.
Authors: Rodríguez-Grande, Jorge, Ortiz, Yelina, García-López, Daniel, Garcillán-Barcia, M. Pilar, Cruz, Fernando de la, Fernández-López, Raúl
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6941782116
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