Bacteria recycle broken DNA: Modern bacteria can add DNA from creatures long-dead to its own
Monday, November 18, 2013 - 17:30
in Biology & Nature
From a bacteria’s perspective the environment is one big DNA waste yard. Researchers have now shown that bacteria can take up small as well as large pieces of old DNA from this scrapheap and include it in their own genome. This discovery may have major consequences – both in connection with resistance to antibiotics in hospitals and in our perception of the evolution of life itself.