Can phage defence maintain colicin plasmids in Escherichia coli

Department of Biology, PO Box 208104, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8104, USA ABSTRACT Summary: We examined the role of plasmid-based phage defence in maintaining plasmids, using colicin plasmids in Escherichia coli as a model system. Experimental data indicated that the possession of a colic...

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Veröffentlicht in:Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 1995-11, Vol.141 (11), p.2977-2984
Hauptverfasser: Feldgarden, Michael, Golden, Shelley, Wilson, Hilary, Riley, Margaret A
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Department of Biology, PO Box 208104, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8104, USA ABSTRACT Summary: We examined the role of plasmid-based phage defence in maintaining plasmids, using colicin plasmids in Escherichia coli as a model system. Experimental data indicated that the possession of a colicin plasmid can confer limited protection against bacteriophages. A continuous culture model, using these experimental values, indicated that the observed limited protection alone could selectively maintain colicin plasmids, without requiring a competitive advantage due to colicinogeny. Phage defence might explain the current maintenance of colicin plasmids, given the naturally occurring high levels of resistance to colicins. This model also suggests that many plasmids might be maintained in natural populations, in part, by phage resistance, including ‘cryptic’ plasmids for which no phenotype is known. Author for correspondence: Margaret A. Riley. Tel: +1 203 432 3875. Fax: +1 203 432 3854. e-mail: riley@beagle.biology.yale.edu Keywords: colicin plasmid, ‘cryptic’ plasmid, phage resistance, phage defence, Escbericbia coli
ISSN:1350-0872
1465-2080
DOI:10.1099/13500872-141-11-2977