Natural genetic transformation is widely distributed in bacteria and generally occurs during a
genetically programmed differentiated state called competence. This process promotes …

Transport of DNA across bacterial membranes involves complex DNA uptake systems. In
Gram‐positive bacteria, the DNA uptake machinery shares fundamental similarities with type …

The competence pili of transformable Gram‐positive species are phylogenetically related to
the diverse and widespread class of extracellular filamentous organelles known as type IV …

Horizontal gene flow is a driving force for bacterial adaptation. Among the three distinct
mechanisms of gene transfer in bacteria, conjugation, transduction, and transformation, the …

Natural transformation has been described in bacterial species spread through nearly all
major taxonomic groups. However, the current understanding of the structural components …

The rlrA pilus locus of Streptococcus pneumoniae is an example of a pathogenicity island
acquired through genetic recombination. Many acquired genetic elements commandeer …

Natural transformation is a dominant force in bacterial evolution by promoting horizontal
gene transfer. This process may have devastating consequences, such as the spread of …

Analysis of publicly available genomes of Streptococcus pneumoniae has led to the
identification of a new genomic element containing genes typical of gram-positive pilus islets …

Natural transformation is a broadly conserved mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in
bacterial species that can shape evolution and foster the spread of antibiotic resistance …

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major public health threat worldwide. The recent discovery
that this pathogen possesses pili led us to investigate their protective abilities in a mouse …