Roles of proteins containing immunoglobulin-like domains in the conjugation of bacterial plasmids

Abstract

Horizontal transfer of bacterial plasmids generates genetic variability and contributes to the dissemination of the genes that enable bacterial cells to develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Several aspects of the conjugative process have long been known, namely, those related to the proteins that participate in the establishment of cell-to-cell contact and to the enzymatic processes associated with the processing of plasmid DNA and its transfer to the recipient cell. In this work, we describe the role of newly identified proteins that influence the conjugation of several plasmids. Genes encoding high-molecular-weight proteins that contain one or several immunoglobulin-like domains (Big) are located in the transfer regions of several plasmids that usually harbor AMR determinants. These Big proteins are exported to the external medium and target two extracellular organelles: the flagella and the conjugative pili. The plasmid-encoded Big proteins facilitate conjugation by reducing cell motility (by binding to flagella) and facilitating cell-to-cell contact (by binding to the conjugative pilus). They use the same export machinery as that used by the conjugative pilus components. In the examples characterized in this paper, these proteins influence conjugation at environmental temperatures (i.e., 25C). This suggests that they may play relevant roles in the dissemination of plasmids in natural environments. As they are located in outer surface organelles, they could be targeted to control the dissemination of different bacterial plasmids carrying AMR determinants.