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Cited by 44Evolutionary Game Theory and CooperationEvolution and Genetic DynamicsBacterial Genetics and Biotechnology

Plasmids do not consistently stabilize cooperation across bacteria but may promote broad pathogen host-range

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Dewar, Anna E., Thomas, Joshua L., Scott, Thomas W., Wild, Geoff, Griffin, Ashleigh S., West, Stuart A., Ghoul, Melanie·2021·Nature Ecology & Evolution
DOI 10.1038/s41559-021-01573-2PMC PMC7612097

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Abstract

Abstract Horizontal gene transfer via plasmids could favour cooperation in bacteria, because transfer of a cooperative gene turns non-cooperative cheats into cooperators. This hypothesis has received support from both theoretical and genomic analyses. In contrast, with a comparative analysis across 51 diverse species, we found that genes for extracellular proteins, which are likely to act as cooperative ‘public goods’, were not more likely to be carried on either: (i) plasmids compared to chromosomes; or (ii) plasmids that transfer at higher rates. Our results were supported by theoretical modelling which showed that while horizontal gene transfer can help cooperative genes initially invade a population, it does not favour the longer-term maintenance of cooperation. Instead, we found that genes for extracellular proteins were more likely to be on plasmids when they coded for pathogenic virulence traits, in pathogenic bacteria with a broad host-range. Taken together, these results support an alternate hypothesis, that plasmid gene location confers benefits other than horizontal gene transfer.

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  • The problem of non-independence can be exacerbated when examining genomes or genes.

    “This problem of non-independence can be exacerbated when examining genomes or genes.”

    From A phylogenetic approach to comparative genomics (2025) · cites this paper as [22]

  • The problem of species not being independent can be exacerbated by additional levels of non-independence, including genes within genomes and genomes of the same or closely related species.

    “In genomic datasets, data points can correspond to genomes or even individual genes, meaning the problem of species not being independent can be exacerbated by additional levels of non-independence, including genes within genomes, such as those carried on the same replicon, and genomes of the same or closely related species16,19,21–26.”

    From A phylogenetic approach to comparative genomics (2025) · cites this paper as [22]

  • Analysing genes or genomes as if they were independent data points can be equivalent to having more technical (pseudo) replicates in an experiment, but then treating each as if they were a truly independent sample (biological replicate).

    “Analysing genes or genomes as if they were independent data points can be equivalent to having more technical (pseudo) replicates in an experiment, but then treating each as if they were a truly independent sample (biological replicate)22.”

    From A phylogenetic approach to comparative genomics (2025) · cites this paper as [22]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Dewar, A. E., Thomas, J. L., Scott, T. W., Wild, G., Griffin, A. S., West, S. A., & Ghoul, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • Western University (CA)
Corresponding author
Dewar, Anna E.
ORCID
Venue
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-11-08
Volume
5
Issue
12
Pages
1624-1636
ISSN
2397-334X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41559-021-01573-2
PMC
PMC7612097
OpenAlex
W3190432843
Cited by
44
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 4
FWCI
9.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Ecology & Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) (University of Oxford) (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/M011224/1)
  • Natural Environment Research Council (NE/V011537/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
Keywords
plasmids, horizontal gene transfer, cooperation, public goods, extracellular proteins, virulence genes, host range, pathogenic bacteria, bacterial evolution, comparative genomics
MeSH terms
Bacteria, Plasmids, Gene Transfer, Horizontal, Host Specificity

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