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Volume 10, Issue 9

Towards quantifying plasmid similarity Open Access

Abstract

Plasmids are extrachromosomal replicons which can quickly spread resistance and virulence genes between clinical pathogens. From the tens of thousands of currently available plasmid sequences we know that overall plasmid diversity is structured, with related plasmids sharing a largely conserved ‘backbone’ of genes while being able to carry very different genetic cargo. Moreover, plasmid genomes can be structurally plastic and undergo frequent rearrangements. So, how can we quantify plasmid similarity? Answering this question requires practical efforts to sample natural variation as well as theoretical considerations of what defines a group of related plasmids. Here we consider the challenges of analysing and rationalising the current plasmid data deluge to define appropriate similarity thresholds.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): antimicrobial resistance , genomic epidemiology and mobile genetic elements
Funding
This study was supported by the:
  • Wellcome Trust (Award 220422/Z/20/Z)
    • Principle Award Recipient: LiamP. Shaw
  • National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (Award NIHR200915)
    • Principle Award Recipient: WilliamMatlock
© 2024 The Authors
  • This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.
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2024-09-12
2024-10-15
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Towards quantifying plasmid similarity
M Gen 10, 001290 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.001290
/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001290
/content/journal/mgen/10.1099/mgen.0.001290
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