A Pseudomonad That Loses Its R Plasmid in the Soil

Question

A pseudomonad that loses its R plasmid in the soil is LEAST likely to
A) cause an infection in a human.
B) colonize a surface.
C) infect a shrub.
D) survive a habitat dominated by antibiotic-producing Streptomyces spp.

Accepted Answer

Losing the R plasmid would make the pseudomonad susceptible to antibiotics, which would reduce its ability to survive in an environment dominated by antibiotic-producing Streptomyces spp. However, this does not necessarily affect its ability to cause infection in humans, colonize surfaces, or infect shrubs.