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Fixation probability of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids

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  • Tazzyman, Samuel J.
  • Bonhoeffer, Sebastian

Abstract

Mobile genetic elements such as plasmids are increasingly becoming thought of as evolutionarily important. Being horizontally transmissible is generally assumed to be beneficial for a gene. Using several simple modelling approaches we show that in fact being horizontally transferable is just as important for fixation as being beneficial to the host, in line with other results. We find fixation probability is approximately 2(s+β), where s is the increased (vertical) fitness provided by the gene, and β the rate of horizontal transfer when rare. This result comes about because when the gene is rare, almost all individuals in the population are possible recipients of horizontal transfer. The ability to horizontally transfer could thus cause a deleterious gene to become fixed in a population even without hitchhiking. Our findings provide further evidence for the importance and ubiquity of mobile genetic elements, particularly in microorganisms.

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  • Tazzyman, Samuel J. & Bonhoeffer, Sebastian, 2013. "Fixation probability of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 49-55.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:thpobi:v:90:y:2013:i:c:p:49-55
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2013.09.012
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    2. Howard Ochman & Jeffrey G. Lawrence & Eduardo A. Groisman, 2000. "Lateral gene transfer and the nature of bacterial innovation," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6784), pages 299-304, May.
    3. Nigel Goldenfeld & Carl Woese, 2007. "Biology's next revolution," Nature, Nature, vol. 445(7126), pages 369-369, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Geoffroy, Félix & Uecker, Hildegard, 2023. "Limits to evolutionary rescue by conjugative plasmids," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 102-117.

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