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PCR Primer Design pp 127–142Cite as

PLASmid TAXonomic PCR (PlasTax-PCR), a Multiplex Relaxase MOB Typing to Assort Plasmids into Taxonomic Units

Part of the Methods in Molecular Biology book series (MIMB,volume 2392)

Abstract

Plasmids transmissible by conjugation are responsible for disseminating antibiotic-resistance genes, making plasmid detection relevant for pathogen tracking. We describe the use of a multiplex PCR method for the experimental identification of specific plasmid taxonomic units (PTUs) of transmissible plasmids. The PCR primers were designed to target conserved segments of the relaxase MOB gene of PTUs encoding adaptive traits for enterobacteria (antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and metabolism). In this way, PlasTax-PCR detects the presence of these plasmids and allows their direct assignation to a PTU.

Key words

  • Plasmid taxonomic units
  • Bacterial conjugation
  • Horizontal gene transfer
  • Relaxase
  • MOB family
  • Plasmid typing

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Acknowledgments

This work was financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020-117923GB-I00) to FdlC and MPG-B, and by the European Commission, the Joint Programming Initiative in Antimicrobial Resistance and the Ministry of Science and Innovation (UE/STARCS AC16/00039, UE/ST131TS AC16/00043, and PI18/01942) to TMC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC-Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain

    Raquel Cuartas, Fernando de la Cruz & M. Pilar Garcillán-Barcia

  2. Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain

    Teresa M. Coque

Authors
  1. Raquel Cuartas
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  2. Teresa M. Coque
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  3. Fernando de la Cruz
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  4. M. Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Pilar Garcillán-Barcia .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Dr. Chhandak Basu

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Cuartas, R., Coque, T.M., de la Cruz, F., Garcillán-Barcia, M.P. (2022). PLASmid TAXonomic PCR (PlasTax-PCR), a Multiplex Relaxase MOB Typing to Assort Plasmids into Taxonomic Units. In: Basu, C. (eds) PCR Primer Design. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2392. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1799-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1799-1_10

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