Genetic architecture and fitness of bacterial inter-species hybrids

Intra-species chromosomal conjugation is believed responsible for creating the global pathogens Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 and Escherichia coli ST1193. Inter- species conjugation is also possible but little is known about the genetic architecture or fitness of such hybrids. In this study we examined the genetic architecture, relative fitness and evolvability of inter-species hybrids or Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium.