Natural bacterial transformation involves the internalization and chromosomal integration of
DNA and has now been documented in∼ 80 species. Recent advances have established …

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 …

Naturally occurring modification of the canonical A, G, C, and T bases can be found in the
DNA of cellular organisms and viruses from all domains of life. Bacterial viruses …

A central challenge in microbial community ecology is the delineation of appropriate units of
biodiversity, which can be taxonomic, phylogenetic, or functional in nature. The term …

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is the world's foremost bacterial pathogen
in both morbidity and mortality. Switching between phenotypic forms (or 'phases') that favour …

While N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) is a well‐known epigenetic modification in bacterial DNA,
it remained largely unstudied in eukaryotes. Recent studies have brought to fore its potential …

Bacterial populations often consist of multiple co-circulating lineages. Determining how such
population structures arise requires understanding what drives bacterial diversification …

Horizontal DNA transfer (HDT) is a pervasive mechanism of diversification in many microbial
species, but its primary evolutionary role remains controversial. Much recent research has …

Like many organisms, bacteria and archaea have both innate and adaptive immune systems
to defend against infection by viruses and other parasites. Innate immunity most commonly …

The mitis group of streptococci comprises species that are common colonizers of the naso-
oral-pharyngeal tract of humans. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mitis are …