DNA transaction stages during the establishment of conjugative plasmids – Eta-2

Bacterial conjugation is a major horizontal gene transfer mechanism through which genetic information is transferred from a donor to a recipient bacterium by direct contact. Conjugation has important life science implications, including bacterial genome evolution, bioengineering applications, and the dissemination of new genetic traits. In fact, conjugation is responsible for 80% of antibiotic resistance transmission in bacteria, which is one of the biggest concerns in global public health and a huge economic burden.
The sequence of events occurring during conjugation is well-documented, however, mainly due to previous technological limitations, we still lack a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms, spatiotemporal regulations, and the host and plasmid factors involved. In particular, despite its critical importance, we know very little about the cascade of reactions that occur in the recipient cell between the acquisition of the plasmid and the establishment of new metabolic properties. Using two teams’ highly complementary and synergistic expertise in live-cell microscopy and modern genetics, the Eta-2 project will (i) describe the real-time dynamics of conjugation at the cellular scale and the cell’s global response to plasmid acquisition, (ii) unveil the role of host and plasmid genetic factors in the process of conjugation, (iii) examine the influence of antibiotics on the conjugation process.
The excepted results will describe of how a commensal bacterium is converted into a drug-resistant organism and provide an integrated comprehension of conjugation mechanisms and its role in the dissemination of drug-resistance. This research would potentially lead to the identification of new targets or methods to tackle the problem of dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial communities.