Fig. 2: Different sizes of PS M/NPs affected plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer.

a Fold changes in conjugative ARG transfer frequencies under 0.1 mg/L PS with different particle sizes. b Fold changes in conjugative ARG transfer frequencies under 1 mg/L PS with different particle sizes. c Fold changes in conjugative ARG transfer frequencies under 10 mg/L PS with different particle sizes. d Expression of core genes in the RP4 plasmid in conjugation within genera. e Expression of core genes in the RP4 plasmid in conjugation across genera. f Expression of core genes in the pCF10 plasmid in conjugation within genera. g Expression of core genes in the pCF10 plasmid in conjugation across genera. Statistically significant differences between the PS M/NP-treated groups and the control (without PS M/NPs) were tested with a two-sided independent-sample t test with Benjamini–Hochberg correction: *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 (n = 6 for intergeneric system of E. faecalis, while n = 3 for the other 3 systems). All genes shown in the figure were significantly (p < 0.05) up- or downregulated under exposure to the tested PS M/NPs. Error bars represent the standard deviation (SD).