Upon entering the soil environment, extracellular DNA is subjected to dynamic biological,
physical, and chemical factors that determine its fate. This review concerns the fate of both …

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

The CRISPR-Cas9 system is a powerful and revolutionary genome-editing tool for
eukaryotic genomes, but its use in bacterial genomes is very limited. Here, we investigated …

Ralstonia solanacearum is a devastating, soil-borne plant pathogen with a global
distribution and an unusually wide host range. It is a model system for the dissection of …

In the rhizosphere, exudates from plants and microorganisms as well as stable soil organic
matter influence processes that can control plant growth, microbial infections, and nutrient …

Ralstonia solanacearum is an important phytopathogen that attacks many crops and native
plants in warm and moist climates. In contrast, the closely related Ralstonia syzygii and …

Bacterial genomics is flourishing, as whole-genome sequencing has become affordable,
readily available and rapid. As a result, it has become clear how frequently horizontal gene …

Homologous recombination is a housekeeping process involved in the maintenance of
chromosome integrity and generation of genetic variability. Although detailed biochemical …

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen metabolites play a complex role in many diseases and in
metabolic regulation. Because viruses replicate in living cells, such metabolites influence …

Today, 12 years after the first field release of a genetically modified plant (GMP), over 15 000
field trials at different locations have been performed. As new and unique characteristics are …