PixR, a Novel Activator of Conjugative Transfer of IncX4 Resistance Plasmids, Mitigates the Fitness Cost of <i>mcr-1</i> Carriage in Escherichia coli
Lingxian Yi, Romain Durand, Frédéric Grenier, Jun Yang, Kaiyang Yu, Vincent Burrus, Jian–Hua Liu
Abstract
The spread of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes is often linked to the dissemination of epidemic plasmids. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms contributing to the successful spread of epidemic plasmids remain unclear. In this report, we shine a light on the transfer activation of IncX4 plasmids. We show how conjugation promotes the invasion and persistence of IncX4 plasmids within a bacterial population. The dissection of the regulatory network of conjugation helps explain the rapid spread of epidemic plasmids in nature. It also reveals potential targets for the development of conjugation inhibitors.
Topics & Concepts
PlasmidCarriageEscherichia coliAntibiotic resistanceBiologyHorizontal gene transferMicrobiologyGeneGeneticsAntibioticsMedicineGenomePathologyAntibiotic Resistance in BacteriaEscherichia coli research studiesBacterial Genetics and Biotechnology