Natural transformation (NT) is a major mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in microbial
species that promotes the spread of antibiotic-resistance determinants and virulence factors …

Eukaryotes use meiotic recombination to blend parental genomes and generate genome‐
wide variation between progeny. By contrast, bacteria divide asexually to generate two …

Horizontal gene transfer can provide bacteria with new functions that confer an important
competitive advantage, and is therefore likely to affect the dynamics of bacterial ecosystems …

The contribution of horizontal gene transfer to evolution has been controversial since it was
suggested to be a force driving evolution in the microbial world. In this paper, I review the …

Genetic exchange between bacteria was first observed over 60 years ago (Griffith, 1928). In
recent years, considerable advances have been made in the understanding of the molecular …

Comparative genomic studies of microorganisms have disrupted the paradigm of vertical
inheritance with modification. First in bacteria, and more recently in microscopic and even …

On the basis of established knowledge of microbial genetics one can distinguish three major
natural strategies in the spontaneous generation of genetic variations in bacteria. These …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the movement of genetic material across branches of the
tree of life, is well established in prokaryotes and uncontroversial. This is explained in part …

Studies show that gene acquisition through natural transformation has contributed
significantly to the adaptation and ecological diversification of several bacterial species …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is one of the most important evolutionary forces within
microbial populations. Although evidence for beneficial fitness effects of HGT is …