Microbes and Gene Swapping - How Common Is This?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Patzee
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gene
AI Thread Summary
Gene swapping, or horizontal gene transfer (HGT), is a significant mechanism in microbial evolution, particularly among prokaryotes like bacteria, which frequently exchange genetic material. This process allows for rapid adaptation, such as the development of drug resistance. While HGT is predominantly observed in microbes, there are documented instances in eukaryotes, including plants and animals, especially in the context of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The discussion highlights the implications of gene swapping in addressing challenges like antibiotic resistance, with research shifting towards techniques that manipulate bacterial DNA to counteract resistance. Recent studies also explore gene flow across different biological kingdoms, suggesting a broader impact on understanding diseases, including cancer.
Patzee
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Microbes and Gene Swapping -- How Common Is This?

The article Sub-zero heroes: extremophiles call salty Antarctic lakes home reporting about:

"The halophilic (Greek for “salt-loving”) extremophiles in Deep Lake belong to a group of microbes called haloarchaea. Due to much higher rates of gene-swapping – or promiscuity – than normally observed in the natural world, many species in Deep Lake are able to benefit from the genes of others."​

has prompted my question.

I've read about gene swapping before, but I'm wondering how common is gene swapping? Does it just occur in specific types of microbes? Does it occur in plants and animals? Is this a mechanism that also affects DNA in plants and animals? I've been reading articles lately that relate changes in DNA to lifestyle, environment, etc., so I'm wondering if this is microbe driven or due to gene swapping?

Thank you.
 
Biology news on Phys.org
"Gene-swapping" or rather horizontal gene transfer is quite a wide field of science: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer
It was very important many times in evolution, currently prokaryotes do it all the time, e.g. to transfer drug resistance ... but there also many documented cases in eucaryote, e.g. regarding GMOs ...
 
Thanks, jarekd.

Ah, so the terminology is "Horizontal Gene Transfer". Thanks for the excellent link and sending me in right direction! Looks like a lot of transferring has been going on, ha, ha. Yes, I've read a lot about GMOs, of course, but didn't know much about natural gene swapping, aka (now using a more appropriate term) horizontal gene transfer.

Again, thanks for taking the time to answer my inquiry. Very kind of you.
 
That is extremely common. That's why bacteria are the fastest evolving organisms known to man.
 
Thanks, Superposed_Cat.

This brings to mind the PBS special that recently aired about the growing problem of drug resistant bacteria and at the same time pointing out that Pfizer is yet another major drug company that was stopping research and development of new traditional types of antibiotics. The program special seemed to indicate that the struggle against harmful bacteria was now switching to techniques that would directly alter the DNA of bacteria so as to circumvent the entire drug resistance process. I guess they are essentially using bacteria's own propensity to horizontally transfer genes as a way to control them.

Again, thank you.
 
  • Like
Likes 1 person

Similar threads

Replies
8
Views
5K
Replies
7
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
4K
Replies
78
Views
12K
Replies
6
Views
4K
Back
Top