Rhizobia are some of the best-studied plant microbiota. These oligotrophic
Alphaproteobacteria or Betaproteobacteria form symbioses with their legume hosts …

Approximately 10% of bacterial genomes are split between two or more large DNA
fragments, a genome architecture referred to as a multipartite genome. This multipartite …

The rhizobium–legume symbiosis is a major source of fixed nitrogen (ammonia) in the
biosphere. The potential for this process to increase agricultural yield while reducing the …

Highlights•Plasmid evolution reviewed from the perspective of plasmids.•Mobility, stability,
and indispensability largely determine plasmid lifestyles.•Changes in plasmid traits facilitate …

There is strong selection for the evolution of systems that protect bacterial populations from
viral attack. We report a single phage defense protein, Hna, that provides protection against …

Background After two decades of extensive microbiome research, the current forefront of
scientific exploration involves moving beyond description and classification to uncovering …

The genome of about 10% of bacterial species is divided among two or more large
chromosome-sized replicons. The contribution of each replicon to the microbial life cycle (for …

Many bacteria carry two or more chromosome-like replicons. This occurs in pathogens such
as Vibrio cholerea and Brucella abortis as well as in many N2-fixing plant symbionts …

Bacterial genome evolution is characterized by gains, losses, and rearrangements of
functional genetic segments. The extent to which large-scale genomic alterations influence …

Extra-chromosomal genetic elements are important drivers of evolutionary transformations
and ecological adaptations in prokaryotes with their evolutionary success often depending …