Simulating the Influence of Conjugative-Plasmid Kinetic Values on the Multilevel Dynamics of Antimicrobial Resistance in a Membrane Computing Model
Marcelino Campos, Álvaro San Millán, José M. Sempere, Val F. Lanza, Teresa M. Coque, Carlos Lloréns, Fernando Baquero
Abstract
Bacterial plasmids harboring antibiotic resistance genes are critical in the spread of antibiotic resistance. It is known that plasmids differ in their kinetic values, i.e., conjugation rate, segregation rate by copy number incompatibility with related plasmids, and rate of stochastic loss during replication. They also differ in cost to the cell in terms of reducing fitness and in the frequency of compensatory mutations compensating plasmid cost. However, we do not know how variation in these values influences the success of a plasmid and its resistance genes in complex ecosystems, such as the microbiota.
Topics & Concepts
AntimicrobialPlasmidDynamics (music)Antibiotic resistanceMicrobiologyChemistryBiological systemComputational biologyStatistical physicsBiologyGeneticsPhysicsAntibioticsGeneAcousticsBacteriophages and microbial interactionsSpectroscopy and Quantum Chemical StudiesBacterial Genetics and Biotechnology