Bacteria can exchange genetic material among themselves—even across species. Rather than being passed on from ancestor to offspring, genetic information is exchanged among organisms living at the same time. By systematically characterizing the fitness effects of this so-called horizontal gene transfer, researchers at the University of Cologne’s Institute of Biological Physics have found that they can predict whether gene transfer accelerates adaptation to certain growth conditions.
Click here for original story, Improved adaptation: Bacteria can profit from the genetic material of other bacteria
Source: Phys.org