Natural selection drives the acquisition of organismal resilience traits to protect against
adverse environments. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important evolutionary …

The soil-dwelling nematode C. elegans is a powerful system for comparative molecular
analyses of environmental stress response mechanisms. Infection of worms with bacterial …

Background Phenotypic plasticity, ie the capacity to change the phenotype in response to
changes in the environment without alteration of the genotype, is important for coping with …

Hormesis is a biological phenomenon, whereby exposure to low levels of toxic agents or
conditions increases organismal viability. It thus represents a beneficial aspect of adaptive …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) enables the acquisition of novel traits via non-Mendelian
inheritance of genetic material. HGT plays a prominent role in the evolution of prokaryotes …

Parental exposure to pathogens can prime offspring immunity in diverse organisms. The
mechanisms by which this heritable priming occurs are largely unknown. Here we report that …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between bacteria occurs in the intestinal tract of their animal
hosts and facilitates both virulence and antibiotic resistance. A model in which both the …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a major mechanism of evolution, in that it is pervasive and
can dramatically affect lifestyle by allowing adaptation to specialized niches. Although …

Changes in epigenetic states affect organismal homeostasis, including stress resistance.
However, the mechanisms coordinating epigenetic states and systemic stress resistance …

Animals encounter microorganisms in their habitats, adapting physiology and behavior
accordingly. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is found in microbe-rich environments; …