`genzplyr` is an alternative syntax for `dplyr` that replaces boring old function names with GenZ slang. Your data wrangling is about to hit different.

Bacteria acquire new genes by horizontal gene transfer, typically mediated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). While plasmids, bacteriophages, and c...

Sabnis et al. explain why non-conjugative plasmids move at a low rate in nature. While increased mobility can easily evolve by incorporating phage DNA into plasmids, this is disadvantageous because it...

Conjugative plasmids are a key reservoir of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in commensal and pathogenic bacteria within the gut microbiome. Plasmid-dependent phage (PDPs) are a promising therapeutic op...

Abstract. The Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB; https://gtdb.ecogenomic.org) provides a phylogenetically consistent and rank normalized genome-based taxonomy

A tutorial on the nuts and bolts of competitive read recruitment

PLAS-FIGHTER Exploiting plasmid-bacteria interactions to fight

A study conducted during COVID-19 travel restrictions sheds light on the relationship between mass gatherings and the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter (CPEn) causes difficult-to-treat infections and has emerged globally as a significant antimicrobial resistance threat. Here, we generated genome sequences of 128 CPEn clinical isolates with accompanying clinical data. ...

Plasmids exhibit a broad range of sizes and copies per cell, and these two parameters appear to be negatively correlated. Here, Ramiro-Martínez et al. analyse the copy number of thousands of diverse b...

A recent study led by the University of Turku, Finland, analysed the DNA map of more than 14,000 gut metagenomes in a global dataset and found that there are differences in antibiotic resistance be

Mass gatherings can impact the antimicrobial resistance in the environment. Surveillance of wastewater in areas of Saudi Arabia affected by mass gatherings after the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restr...

Layout AWI HIPP extern, englisch

Antimicrobial resistance is recognized as a major global health threat. Pathogens can rapidly evolve resistance which diminishes the impact of antimicrobial treatments. The presence of other microbes ...

The selection of a reference sequence in genome analysis is critical, as it serves as the foundation for all downstream analyses. Recently, the pangenome graph has been proposed as a data model that i...

Bacteria acquire new genes by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), typically mediated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). While plasmids, bacteriophages and certain integrative and conjugative elements (ICE...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing global health problems, with plasmids playing a central role in its evolution and dissemination. Over the past decades, many studies have investigated the ecoevolutionary dynamics between plasmids and their bacterial hosts. However, what drives the epidemiological success of certain plasmid–bacterium associations remains unclear. In this opinion article, we review which factors influence these associations and underline that studying plasmid–host interactions of clinical relevance is critical for understanding the evolution and spread of AMR. We also highlight the increasing importance of integrating experimental research with bioinformatics and machine learning tools to study plasmid–bacteria dynamics. This combined approach will assist researchers to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying successful plasmid–host associations and to design strategies to prevent and predict future high-risk associations.

AMR proportions and IRRs for most key pathogens were up to three-times higher in isolates from outpatients with cancer than those without cancer, highlighting the need for enhanced surveillance, infec...