Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the sharing of genetic material between organisms that are
not in a parent–offspring relationship. HGT is a widely recognized mechanism for adaptation …

The capacity to release genetic material into the extracellular medium has been reported in
cultures of numerous species of bacteria, archaea, and fungi, and also in the context of …

In marine sediments, DNA occurs both inside and outside living organisms. DNA not
enclosed in living cells may account for the largest fraction of total DNA, and include …

Biofilms are structured and organized communities of microorganisms that represent one of
the most successful forms of life on Earth. Bacterial biofilms have been studied in great …

The recently discovered DPANN archaea are a potentially deep-branching, monophyletic
radiation of organisms with small cells and genomes. However, the monophyly and early …

Archaea remains the least-studied and least-characterized domain of life despite its
significance not just to the ecology of our planet but also to the evolution of eukaryotes. It is …

The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) construct the three-dimensional (3-D)
structure of biofilms, but their respective roles are still not clear. Therefore, this study aimed …

Extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (eARGs) are important emerging environmental
pollutants in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Nutritional substrate deficiency (ie …

Several groups of Archaea, all Euryarchaeota, develop in hypersaline environments (from>
10% salt up to saturation). The cultured diversity of halophilic Archaea includes the family …

Background Archaea share a similar microbial lifestyle with bacteria, and not surprisingly
then, also exist within matrix-enclosed communities known as biofilms. Advances in biofilm …