In all living organisms, the response to double-strand breaks (DSBs) is critical for the
maintenance of chromosome integrity. Homologous recombination (HR), which utilizes a …

Leptospira biflexa is a free-living saprophytic spirochete present in aquatic environments.
We determined the genome sequence of L. biflexa, making it the first saprophytic Leptospira …

Many bacteria are highly sexual, but the reasons for their promiscuity remain obscure. Did
bacterial sex evolve to maximize diversity and facilitate adaptation in a changing world, or …

We have investigated to what extent natural transformation acting on free DNA substrates
can facilitate transfer of mobile elements including transposons, integrons and/or gene …

In Deinococcus radiodurans, the extreme resistance to DNA–shattering treatments such as
ionizing radiation or desiccation is correlated with its ability to reconstruct a functional …

The production of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) is widely distributed within the marine
Roseobacter clade, and it was proposed that AHL-mediated quorum sensing (QS) is one of …

Ultraviolet radiation can damage biomolecules, with detrimental or even lethal effects for life.
Even though lower wavelengths are filtered by the ozone layer, a significant amount of …

Most eukaryotic species are colonized by a microbial community–the microbiota–that is
acquired during early life stages and is critical to host development and health. Much …

The emergence of antibiotic resistance under treatment depends on the availability of
resistance alleles and their establishment in the population. Novel resistance alleles are …

Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements in prokaryotes that have been recognized
as important drivers of microbial ecology and evolution. Plasmids are found in multiple …