title: The persistence of parasitic plasmids.
abstract: The conditions under which plasmids are predicted to persist remain controversial. Here, we reevaluate the ordinary differential equations used previously to model plasmid persistence and conclude that the parameter space required for maintenance is far less stringent than has been supposed. Strikingly, our model demonstrates that purely parasitic plasmids may persist, even in the absence of heterogeneity in the host population, and that this persistence is expressed by oscillations or damped oscillations between the plasmid-bearing and the plasmid-free class.
authors: Department of Mathematical Sciences , University of Bath, BA2 7AY, Bath, United Kingdom.
authors: Loukia N
authors: LN
authors: Lili
authors: Nicholas F
authors: NF
authors: Britton
authors: Edward J
authors: EJ
authors: Feil
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D008954:Models, Biological; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial