Short-term evolution under copper stress increases probability of plasmid uptake

Understanding plasmid transfer dynamics remains a key knowledge gap in the mitigation of antibiotic resistance gene spread. Direct effects of exposure to stressors on plasmid uptake are well monitored. However, it remains untested whether evolution of strains under stress conditions modulates subsequent plasmid uptake. Here, we evolved a compost derived microbial community for six weeks under copper stress and non-exposed control conditions. We then tested the ability of isolated clones from both treatments to take up the broad host range plasmid pKJK5 from an E.coli donor strain. Clones pre-adapted to copper displayed a significantly increased probability to be permissive towards the plasmid compared to those isolated from the control treatment. Further, increased phylogenetic distance to the donor strain was significantly and negatively correlated with plasmid uptake probabilities across both treatments.