🔔New preprint! In which we explore the ecological consequences of plasmid-bacterial compensatory evolution using models and experiments. With @rctwright, @2jamiewood, @ellieevolves, @DrKatieMuddiman, @MBottery, @scottishwormboy and @brockhurstlab 🧫💫🦠

RT @GEMcCallum: Delighted to have this review out with @jpjhall!. We discuss the risk of transmission of antimicrobial resistance in the ho….

🗣️ Spread the word and get in touch if you are interested or if you have any questions!.

🌊 Liverpool’s a great city and there’s loads to do — amazing parks, theatres and galleries, classic pubs, spectacular beaches, and your paycheck goes further than it might in other places.

🌱 Postdocs here have the @ProsperPostdoc mentorship/career development network, a strong postdoc society, opportunities for training at the genomics powerhouse @cgr_uol, pump-priming grants for senior postdocs to develop independence. 🌳.

🏫You would be working mainly with me at @LivUni_IVES — our lab sits between evolutionary ecology and infection microbiology. There’s loads of exciting research going on in both of these themes, and chances for discussions with other groups eg @jojofoth @jay_salsa.

🦠This project combines experimental evolutionary microbiology to explore how genome defence systems interact with horizontal gene transfer, with lots of amazing collaborators eg @ksbakes @edzewestra @StinekevanHoute @BlowerLab @mfwhite2 and more.

🏫You would be working mainly with me at @IVES_livuni — our lab sits between evolutionary ecology and infection microbiology. There’s loads of exciting research going on in both of these themes, and chances for discussions with other groups eg @jojofoth @jay_salsa.

We therefore expect plasmids have limited scope to 'play nice', and instead chromosomes have to evolve to accommodate unruly plasmids. Compensated strains could act as 'hubs' for plasmid accumulation, evolution, and dissemination, with implications for spread of AMR.

We even found conditions where plasmid-encoded CMs failed to outcompete uncompensated plasmids!

. and when we explored the system experimentally, we found that chromosomal CMs dominated under all conditions, due to more effective compensation and plasmid 'weaponisation'.

We originally thought that plasmid CMs would outcompete chromsomal CMs because plaCM can spread by conjugation, but analysing mathematical models of CM hinted that things weren't so simple.

Our previous work showed that effective CMs can occur on the chromosome or on the plasmid. Plasmid CMs can spread by conjugation, whereas chromosomal CMs can ameliorate different plasmids. Which is better?

Though plasmids spread important traits in microbiomes, carrying a plasmid imposes fitness costs on bacteria. Compensatory mutations (CMs) can effectively resolve plasmid fitness costs, but does it matter what kind of CM emerges?🤔🤔.

Under a week left to apply!.

RT @MatthewKelbrick: New preprint - we show that spatial refuges can facilitate evolutionary rescue to salt stress only when nutrient level….

Please share, and get in touch if you are interested in applying 💻😀.

🚨#PhD opportunity at @LivUni_IVES @ACCE_DTP🚨Do plasmids help soil microbes adapt to climate change? Join me and @RajWhitlock to investigate, using a 31-year-old climate experiment @BCCIL_UK 🌾🥵🦠

RT @bergiante_gabi: This Halloween, don't forget to check out and share with your friends and family the thrilling adventures of Luna and S….

RT @ksbakes: It's recruitment time @GeneticsCam 🦠🧫👏🥳 !!! 3 year computational postdoc doing cool Shigella AMR genomics with me and other fu….