Bacterial conjugation, mediated mainly by conjugative plasmids such as F, represents a potential health threat through the sharing of genes for pathogenicity or antibiotic resistance. Given that more than 400 different species of bacteria coinhabit a healthy human gut and more than 200 coinhabit human skin, Francisco Dionisio [Genetics (2002) 162:1525-1532] investigated the ability of plasmids to undergo between-species conjugal transfer. The following data are presented for various species of the enterobacterial genus Escherichia. The data are presented as “log base 10” values; for example, — 2.0 would be equivalent to 10—2 as a rate of transfer. Assume that all differences between values presented are statistically significant.
(a) What general conclusion(s) can be drawn from these data?
(b) In what species is within-species transfer most likely? In what species pair is between-species transfer most likely?
(c) What is the significance of these findings in terms of human health?
Donor | ||||
Recipient | E. chrysanthemi | E. blattae | E. fergusonii | E. coli |
E. chrysanthemi | –2.4 | –4.7 | –5.8 | –3.7 |
E. blattae | –2.0 | –3.4 | –5.2 | –3.4 |
E. fergusonii | –3.4 | –5.0 | –5.8 | –4.2 |
E. coli | –1.7 | –3.7 | –5.3 | –3.5 |
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