Summary:
This project aims to investigate the functions encoded by cryptic plasmids and uncover the mechanisms underlying their maintenance in natural bacterial communities. It will investigate the selective forces that sustain cryptic conjugative plasmids. Do they persist (i) by encoding beneficial functions or (ii) as parasites, compensating for their cost through high transfer rates? The first hypothesis suggests that cryptic conjugative plasmids encode, on average, at least as many functions as the other conjugative plasmids. The second hypothesis predicts cryptic conjugative plasmids should encode fewer functions than the other conjugative plasmids.
Partners:
INIAV
Project leader:
Teresa Nogueira
Project team:
Teresa Nogueira, Célia Domingues, Francisco Dionisio, João Rebelo
Keywords:
Microbiology; Bioinformatics; Genomics Conjugation
