Plasmids are important “vehicles” for the communication of genetic information between
bacteria. The exchange of plasmids transmits pathogenically and environmentally relevant …

Plasmids are key vectors of horizontal gene transfer and essential genetic engineering tools.
They code for genes involved in many aspects of microbial biology, including detoxication …

Methanogenic archaea are major producers of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and
biofuel, and are widespread in diverse environments, including the animal gut. The …

Prokaryotes contain short DNA repeats known as CRISPR, recognizable by the regular
spacing existing between the recurring units. They represent the most widely distributed …

Numerous prokaryote genomes contain structures known as clustered regularly interspaced
short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs), composed of 25–50 bp repeats separated by unique …

Horizontal gene transfer is an important mechanism for the evolution of microbial genomes.
Pathogenicity islands—mobile genetic elements that contribute to rapid changes in …

Type IV secretion systems (T4SS) translocate DNA and protein substrates across prokaryotic
cell envelopes generally by a mechanism requiring direct contact with a target cell. Three …

Horizontal transfer of genomic islands (GEIs), that is, chromosomal regions encoding
functions that can be advantageous for the host, plays a key role in bacterial evolution, but …

All cellular systems evolve ways to combat predators and genomic parasites. In bacteria and
archaea, numerous resistance mechanisms have developed against phage. Our …

The genome of the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 contains 2,992,245 bp on a
single chromosome and encodes 2,977 proteins and many RNAs. One-third of the encoded …