A decade ago, we showed that >50% of plasmids lack protein coding genes for conjugation. Yet, they move. How? We now suggest that most plasmids in E coli and S aureus engage in conjugation. Many of them highjack components of plasmids that highjack themselves other plasmids to conjugate between bacteria. And these elements have the highest densities of antibiotic resistance genes!
Great work led by @M_AresArroyo now out!
https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nar/gkac1079/6849495?searchresult=1