Extended Data Fig. 5: Plasmid elimination by DdmDE is rapid and does not depend on cell division, and cell division inhibition enhances plasmid-dependent toxicity by DdmABC.

Time-course showing the effect of DdmDE (a) and DdmABC (b) production on pSa5Y-parS^MT1 plasmid retention and localisation after addition of cephalexin (Ceph, 5 μg/ml) to block cell division. Arabinose (+Ara) and/or Cephalexin (+Ceph) were added to exponentially growing cells of Δddm (ΔddmDE ΔddmABC) and imaged after 1, 2 and 3 h of growth, as indicated. Expression from TnddmDE and TnddmABC was induced with 0.2 or 0.02% arabinose, respectively. Arrowheads in panel (a) highlight examples of plasmid-free cells already detectable after only 1 h of TnddmDE induction. Open arrowheads in panel (b) indicate examples of cells undergoing plasmolysis due to enhanced DdmABC toxicity. All strains carry a chromosomally integrated yGFP-ParB^MT1 fusion. All images are representative of the results of three independent experiments. Scale bars = 5 μm.