Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile DNA elements that drive bacterial conjugation, a major process by which bacteria exchange genes. Although conjugation has been studied for decades, the focus has been almost exclusively on donor cells and the ICE itself, leaving the role of recipient cells largely overlooked. Using the wall-less ruminant pathogens Mycoplasma agalactiae and Mycoplasma bovis as minimal models, we discovered that a single recipient lipoprotein is required for efficient ICE uptake. Our data show that nucleoside recognition by P48, but not transport, is critical for conjugation, revealing an unexpected mechanistic link between nutrient sensing and gene acquisition. These findings shift the paradigm of conjugation from a donor-driven process to one jointly determined by donor and recipient functions. By identifying a recipient-encoded determinant of ICE transfer, this work opens new avenues to control horizontal gene flow in both pathogenic and engineered bacteria.

Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are major mediators of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria. However, the role of recipient cells in their acquisition has received little attention. ...

Conjugation is an evolutionary shortcut that bacteria use to exchange genetic information with their neighbors. Despite the fast evolution rate of the genome-reduced mycoplasmas, their conjugative properties remain largely understudied, particularly in ...