Hitherto-Unnoticed Self-Transmissible Plasmids Widely Distributed among Different Environments in Japan

Abstract

Plasmids are known to spread among different bacteria. However, which plasmids spread among environmental samples and in which environments they are present is still poorly understood.

Transconjugant range of PromA plasmids in microbial communities is predicted by sequence similarity with the bacterial host chromosome

“…These coincided with the classifications of the sub (sub-sub) group of PromA plasmids (clusters A, B, C, and D for PromAγ, PromAδ, PromAβ−2, and PromAβ−1, respectively) [30] (). The PromAα plasmids [28], including pSB102 (carrying accessory genes, see below), plasmid two, and pMRAD02 (probably not a member of PromAα [30]) formed a cluster of their own (). As reported previously [29, 30], 32 among 41 PromA plasmids did not carry any previously known accessory genes, including antibiotic resistance and/or catabolic genes.…”

“…2). As reported previously [29,30], 32 among 41 PromA plasmids did not carry any previously known accessory genes, including antibiotic resistance and/or catabolic genes. The other nine plasmids -pSB102, pALTS28, pIPO2T, pS28-3, pMOL98, pPBL-H3_BS2-2, pPBL-H3_BS4-2, pBPS33-2, and pEN1 (Fig.…”

“…The PromAα plasmids [28], including pSB102 (carrying accessory genes, see below), plasmid two, and pMRAD02 (probably not a member of PromAα [30]) formed a cluster of their own (). As reported previously [29, 30], 32 among 41 PromA plasmids did not carry any previously known accessory genes, including antibiotic resistance and/or catabolic genes. The other nine plasmids – pSB102, pALTS28, pIPO2T, pS28-3, pMOL98, pPBL-H3_BS2-2, pPBL-H3_BS4-2, pBPS33-2, and pEN1 () – carry genes involved in antibiotic/heavy metal resistance or linuron degradation [26, 27, 45–47].…”

“…The four PromA plasmids (pSN1104-11, pSN0729-62 [30], pMH0613-68, and pYK0414-12) were transferred to P . resinovorans CA10rm4R fromCA10dm4RGFP with pBBRMCS-2 [30].…”

Plasmid-Encoded Traits Vary across Environments

“…However, more work is needed to directly link these mobile genetic elements to host adaptation in natural communities. Notably, not all plasmids are expected to carry accessory genes ( 68 – 70 ); further investigation of these cryptic plasmids may reveal additional insights into forces maintaining them in natural communities. While we focused on plasmid sequences from cultured microbes, this approach is limited by the available data but links plasmid traits directly with the host, an advantage that culture-independent plasmidome studies do not have.…”