Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is arguably the most conspicuous feature of bacterial
evolution. Evidence for HGT is found in most bacterial genomes. Although HGT can …

To a large extent, cancer conforms to evolutionary rules defined by the rates at which clones
mutate, adapt and grow. Next-generation sequencing has provided a snapshot of the …

Whole-genome sequencing has opened the way for investigating the dynamics and
genomic evolution of bacterial pathogens during the colonization and infection of humans …

Gut microbiota are shaped by a combination of ecological and evolutionary forces. While the
ecological dynamics have been extensively studied, much less is known about how species …

Escherichia coli is mostly a commensal of birds and mammals, including humans, where it
can act as an opportunistic pathogen. It is also found in water and sediments. We …

Pleiotropy refers to the phenomenon of one gene or one mutation affecting multiple
phenotypic traits. While the concept of pleiotropy is as old as Mendelian genetics, functional …

Monitoring the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and reconstructing transmission chains has become
a major public health focus for many governments around the world. The modest mutation …

Some bacteria can transfer to new host species, and this poses a risk to human health.
Indeed, an estimated 60% of all human pathogens have originated from other animal …

A key question in tuberculosis control is why some strains of M. tuberculosis are
preferentially associated with resistance to multiple drugs. We demonstrate that M …

Longstanding questions relate to the existence of naturally distinct bacterial species and
genetic approaches to distinguish them. Bacterial genomes in public databases form distinct …