In: Biology
genetic exchanges
Horizontal gene transfer is defined as the acquisition and incorporation of genetic material from another organism. The first example of genetic exchange, transformation, was described in 1928 in Streptococcus pneumoniae . In 1944, DNA was identified as the "transforming principle" in experiments that were pivotal in understanding the nature of genetics and the genetic material . It has become evident that such exchange events have occurred frequently during the evolution of microbes, resulting in tremendous genetic diversity.
some have suggested that horizontal gene transfer is the major contributing factor in the development of bacterial diversity . That such transfer occurs is of clinical as well as practical interest since genes encoding virulence factors, antigenic determinants, and antibiotic resistance each can be acquired by organisms, resulting in altered pathogenicity .
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