In the microscopic world of bacteria, gene transfer is a powerful mechanism that can alter cellular function, drive antibiotic resistance and even shape entire ecosystems. Now an interdisciplinary group of researchers at Rice University has developed an innovative RNA “barcoding” method to track these genetic exchanges in microbial communities, providing new insights into how genes move across species. The findings were recently published in Nature Biotechnology.
We’ve long known that bacteria swap genes in ways that impact human health, biotechnology and environmental stability. But mapping which microbes participate in gene transfer has been challenging. This new technique gives us a direct way to record this information inside the cells…