Transport of DNA across bacterial membranes during natural transformation is a fascinating
and elaborate process. It requires the functional integrity of huge multi‐protein complexes …

Transformation and conjugation permit the passage of DNA through the bacterial
membranes and represent dominant modes for the transfer of genetic information between …

DNA acquisition promotes the spread of resistance to antibiotics and virulence among
bacteria. It is also linked to several natural phenomena including recombination, genome …

Naturally competent bacteria are able to take up exogenous DNA and undergo genetic
transformation. The transport of DNA from the extracellular milieu into the cytoplasm is a …

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays an important role in bacterial evolution. It is well
accepted that DNA is pulled/pushed into recipient cells by conserved membrane-associated …

Many bacteria are naturally competent, able to actively transport environmental DNA
fragments across their cell envelope and into their cytoplasm. Because incoming DNA …

Transformation is a widespread mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. DNA
uptake to the periplasmic compartment requires a DNA-uptake pilus and the DNA-binding …

Bacterial conjugation is a promiscuous DNA transport mechanism. Conjugative plasmids
transfer themselves between most bacteria, thus being one of the main causal agents of the …

Conjugation is a paradigmatic example of horizontal or lateral gene transfer, whereby DNA
is translocated between bacterial cells. It provides a route for the rapid acquisition of new …

Spontaneous plasmid transformation of Escherichia coli occurs on nutrient-containing agar
plates. E. coli has also been reported to use double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a carbon …