A novel iLDS statistic uncovers adaptive gene sweeps in gut bacteria, highlighting evolutionary responses to modern diets and enhancing microbiome studies.

New research shows that a large, ubiquitous mobile genetic element changes the antagonistic weaponry of Bacteroides fragilis, a common bacterium of the human gut. Bacteria evolve rapidly in the human ...

Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are unique, phage‐like particles produced by various Alphaproteobacteria that mediate the horizontal transfer of genetic material. Unlike conventional bacteriophages, GTAs ...

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a microbial community phenomenon that essentially equates to teaching neighbors how to complete necessary tasks by ripping out and sharing ...

A new study by Tel Aviv University reveals how bacterial defense mechanisms can be neutralized, enabling the efficient transfer of genetic material between bacteria. The researchers believe this ...

A recent study has found that the electricity produced by an electric eel’s discharge is strong enough to cause the transfer of genetic material from the environment into the cells of nearby animals.

Gut bacteria rapidly adapt to processed food additives, revealing how modern diets can reshape microbial evolution worldwide.

A new study has shown that virus-like transposons, called Mavericks, are responsible for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in nematodes. Researchers led by Alejandro Burga at the Austrian Academy of ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. The period between the 1920s and 1950s was a time of significant progress and exciting discoveries in gene therapy history and ...

For foreign DNA to make it into a eukaryotic cell’s genome, DNA must first enter the cell, then cross the nuclear envelope, and finally insert itself into the genome. Below are a number of proposed ...

Bacteria evolve rapidly in the human gut by sharing genetic elements with each other. Bacteriodales is a prolific order of gut bacteria that trade hundreds of genetic elements. Little is known, ...