title: Effects of segregation and selection on instability of plasmid pACYC184 in Escherichia coli B.
abstract: We use a mathematical model to analyze the dynamics of loss of nonconjugative pACYC184 from populations of Escherichia coli B in glucose-limited continuous culture. This model incorporates both plasmid segregation and selection against plasmid carriage. It is concluded that there is intense selection against plasmid carriage (s = 0.3 per culture generation), which amplifies the frequency of segregants arising de novo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine 92717.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lenski
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bouma
mesh_terms: D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D008433:Mathematics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010957:Plasmids; D012641:Selection, Genetic