In the race of evolution, innovating is certainly necessary, but recycling existing genes is sometimes more efficient. Indeed, organisms that are very distant from each other can exchange a ...

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 ...

The movement or acquisition of genetic material between organisms that is not the result of vertical inheritance (reproduction) is called horizontal (or lateral) gene transfer. Horizontal gene ...

The leaf beetle Spilopyra sumptuosa lives in the rainforests of eastern Australia. Its spectacular, colorful appearance is an example of the rich diversity of the large family of leaf beetles. The ...

The illustration shows how high trafficking of blood stem cells in the circulation early post-natally allows lentiviral-vector mediated in vivo gene transfer. “After birth, blood stem cells need to ...

In the microscopic world of bacteria, gene transfer is a powerful mechanism that can alter cellular function, drive antibiotic resistance and even shape entire ecosystems. Now an interdisciplinary ...