The role of lipopolysaccharide structure in the recipient cell during plasmid-mediated bacterial conjugation

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The role of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure in the recipient cell during bacterial conjugation was studied using a series of well-defined LPS mutations in Salmonella minnesota. The plasmids F lac ( IncFI) and R1 drd19 ( IncFII) transferred at a high frequency to the smooth S218 parent strain and the rough LPS mutants. However, R64 drd11 ( IncIα) transferred poorly to the LPS mutants compared with transfer to the smooth LPS parent strain. The decrease in R64 drd11 transfer frequency correlated with the extent of the defect in LPS structure, suggesting that intact LPS on the recipient is a major requirement for R64 drd11 mating. Transfer of the P-group plasmid, RK2, was not affected by changes in LPS structure. These results show that plasmids use different cell surface structures during conjugation, and that LPS is particularly important for R64 drd11 transfer.