Open AccessThe bacterial capsule is a gatekeeper for mobile DNA
Author(s) -
Alfonso Santos-López,
Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán,
Álvaro San Millán
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.127
H-Index - 271
eISSN - 1545-7885
pISSN - 1544-9173
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001308
Subject(s) - biology , horizontal gene transfer , mobile genetic elements , bacterial conjugation , dna , capsule , genetics , signature (topology) , computational biology , gene , genome , plasmid , botany , geometry , mathematics
The horizontal transfer of mobile DNA is one of the signature moves of bacterial evolution, but the specific rules that govern this transfer remain elusive. In this PLOS Biology issue, Haudiquet and colleagues revealed that the interactions between mobile genetic elements and the bacterial capsule shape the horizontal flow of DNA in an important bacterial pathogen.