Gene exchange common among sex-manipulating bacteria
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 19:49
in Biology & Nature
Certain bacteria have learned to manipulate the proportion of females and males in insect populations. Now Uppsala University researchers have mapped the entire genome of a bacterium that infects a close relative of the fruit fly. The findings, published in PNAS, reveal extremely high frequencies of gene exchange within this group of bacteria. In the future it is hoped that it will be possible to use sex-manipulating bacteria as environmentally friendly pesticides against harmful insects.
Read the whole article on Biology News Net
More from Biology News Net
Related
- Gene exchange common among sex-manipulating bacteriaWed, 25 Mar 2009, 11:54:44 EDT
- Researchers discover how infectious bacteria can switch speciesThu, 9 Oct 2008, 9:57:44 EDT
- An ancient protein balances gene activity and silences foreign DNA in bacteriaThu, 15 May 2008, 14:22:04 EDT
- Aphids saved from gruesome death by virus-infected bacteriaThu, 20 Aug 2009, 14:28:01 EDT
- Bacteria reveal secret of adaptation at Evolution CanyonSun, 27 Jul 2008, 19:28:47 EDT