The bacterial capsule is a gatekeeper for mobile DNA.

oleh: Alfonso Santos-López, Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán, Álvaro San Millán

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-07-01

Deskripsi

The horizontal transfer of mobile DNA is one of the signature moves of bacterial evolution, but the specific rules that govern this transfer remain elusive. In this PLOS Biology issue, Haudiquet and colleagues revealed that the interactions between mobile genetic elements and the bacterial capsule shape the horizontal flow of DNA in an important bacterial pathogen.