Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Berthold T
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5095653 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Scientific reports 20161104
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a main mechanism of bacterial evolution endowing bacteria with new genetic traits. The transfer of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids (conjugation) requires the close proximity of cells. HGT between genetically distinct bacteria largely depends on cell movement in water films, which are typically discontinuous in natural systems like soil. Using laboratory microcosms, a bacterial reporter system and flow cytometry, we here investigated if and to which degr ...[more]