ArticlePLoS genetics2018
Genetic exchanges are more frequent in bacteria encoding capsules.
Article in PLoS genetics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers.
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Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 44 citations in OpenAlex.
- Genomic Dissection Reveals Polyphyletic Origins and Recombination-Driven Diversification of O/K Antigen Loci in FoodborneMicroorganisms · 2026Article
- Multiple prophage acquisition events over the course of an outbreak drive lysogenic conversion of capsular polysaccharides produced by carbapenem-resistantMicrobiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Pathogen species and capsule expression shape opportunistic transfer and the recipient response during plasmid RP4 conjugation.Communications biology · 2026Article
- Conjugative delivery of toxin genesJournal of bacteriology · 2025Article
- A phylogenetic approach to comparative genomics.Nature reviews. Genetics · 2025Review
- Comparative genomics of Vibrio toranzoniae strains.International microbiology : the official journal of the Spanish Society for Microbiology · 2025Article
- Capsular Polysaccharide Production in Bacteria of the Mycoplasma Genus: A Huge Diversity of Pathways and Synthases for So-Called Minimal Bacteria.Molecular microbiology · 2024Article
- Comparative genomics of Vibrio toranzoniae strains.Research square · 2024Article
- Bacterial capsules: Occurrence, mechanism, and function.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2024Review
- Tracking and characterization of a novel conjugative transposon identified by shotgun transposon mutagenesis.Frontiers in microbiology · 2024Article
- Polymorphism and mutational diversity of virulence (vcgCPI/vcgCPE) and resistance determinants (aac(3)-IIa, (aacC2, strA, Sul 1, and 11) among human pathogenic Vibrio species recovered from surface waters in South-Western districts of Uganda.Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology · 2023Article
- Rewiring the pneumococcal capsule pathway for investigating glycosyltransferase specificity and genetic glycoengineering.Science advances · 2023Article
- Characterization and Diversity ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Mutation-induced infections of phage-plasmids.Nature communications · 2023Article
- Integrons in the development of antimicrobial resistance: critical review and perspectives.Frontiers in microbiology · 2023Review
- Differences in genetic flux in invasiveHeliyon · 2022Article
- Adaptation to novel spatially-structured environments is driven by the capsule and alters virulence-associated traits.Nature communications · 2022Article
- The bacterial capsule is a gatekeeper for mobile DNA.PLoS biology · 2021Article
- Interplay between the cell envelope and mobile genetic elements shapes gene flow in populations of the nosocomial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae.PLoS biology · 2021Article
- Genomic diversity and organization of complex polysaccharide biosynthesis clusters in the genus Dickeya.PloS one · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Capsules allow bacteria to colonize novel environments, to withstand numerous stresses, and to resist antibiotics. Yet, even though genetic exchanges with other cells should be adaptive under such circumstances, it has been suggested that capsules lower the rates of homologous recombination and horizontal gene transfer. We analysed over one hundred pan-genomes and thousands of bacterial genomes for the evidence of an association between genetic exchanges (or lack thereof) and the presence of a capsule system. We found that bacteria encoding capsules have larger pan-genomes, higher rates of horizontal gene transfer, and higher rates of homologous recombination in their core genomes. Accordingly, genomes encoding capsules have more plasmids, conjugative elements, transposases, prophages, and integrons. Furthermore, capsular loci are frequent in plasmids, and can be found in prophages. These results are valid for Bacteria, independently of their ability to be naturally transformable. Since we have shown previously that capsules are commonly present in nosocomial pathogens, we analysed their co-occurrence with antibiotic resistance genes. Genomes encoding capsules have more antibiotic resistance genes, especially those encoding efflux pumps, and they constitute the majority of the most worrisome nosocomial bacteria. We conclude that bacteria with capsule systems are more genetically diverse and have fast-evolving gene repertoires, which may further contribute to their success in colonizing novel niches such as humans under antibiotic therapy.
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