Bacteria have evolved a diverse toolkit for horizontal gene transfer, among which integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) and conjugative plasmids are preeminent. These mobile genetic elements can ...

Gene transfer enables bacteria to adapt to their environment. To sensitively detect gene transfer, we created a synthetic biology tool that introduces an identifiable barcode into RNA when microbes ...

An interdisciplinary team of Rice University researchers has uncovered previously unknown relationships between ...

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 ...

It’s easy to see why horizontal gene transfer would be common among microbes. They often live in complex communities that are ...

Scientists have uncovered a surprising twist in how bacteria share genes—including those that spread antibiotic resistance. Tiny virus-like particles called gene transfer agents (GTAs), once ancient ...

Discoveries may help to explain why some bacteria are hard to eliminate, and also point to potential future approaches to improving antibiotic effectiveness.

James Chappell, associate professor of biosciences and bioengineering at Rice University. In the microscopic world of bacteria, gene transfer is a powerful mechanism that can alter cellular function, ...