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Related Concept Videos

Horizontal Gene Transfer01:27

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a process where genetic material moves between organisms within the same generation, unlike vertical gene transfer, which occurs from parent to offspring. HGT plays a crucial role in microbial evolution, adaptation, and survival, particularly in shared environments like the human gut.Mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, prophages, integrons, insertion sequences, and transposons facilitate this process. HGT occurs through three primary mechanisms:...
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms02:18

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms02:18

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
Conjugation01:19

Conjugation

Conjugation is a form of horizontal gene transfer that primarily occurs in bacteria and some archaea, promoting genetic diversity and adaptation. Bacteria can acquire resistance genes through conjugative plasmids, allowing them to survive antibiotic treatments that would otherwise be lethal. This process involves direct contact between cells through specialized structures such as the sex pilus and is mediated by conjugative plasmids, including the F (fertility) factor.Conjugation requires...
Transduction01:16

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...
Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

High-Resolution Comparison of Bacterial Conjugation Frequencies
05:18

High-Resolution Comparison of Bacterial Conjugation Frequencies

Published on: January 10, 2019

Hosts, parasites, and horizontal gene transfer.

Bhagya K Wijayawardena1, Dennis J Minchella, J Andrew DeWoody

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. bwijayaw@purdue.edu

Trends in Parasitology
|June 14, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) moves genes between lineages, unlike Mendelian inheritance. This study explores HGT mechanisms between parasites and hosts, focusing on schistosomes, to understand its role in coevolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Parasitology

Background:

  • Mendelian inheritance describes vertical gene transfer within lineages.
  • Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) involves genetic material exchange among different lineages.
  • Intimate host-parasite interactions create opportunities for HGT.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore potential mechanisms of HGT between parasites and their hosts.
  • To review existing studies on host-parasite HGT, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.
  • To highlight the significance of HGT in host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of host-parasite HGT studies.
  • Focus on parasites with complex life cycles, such as schistosomes.
  • Analysis of evidence required to confirm HGT and avoid false positives.

Main Results:

  • Host-parasite HGT presents unique challenges for documentation.
  • Schistosomes and similar parasites offer multiple avenues for inter-genomic HGT.
  • Evidence for HGT requires rigorous validation to prevent misinterpretation.

Conclusions:

  • HGT is a plausible mechanism in host-parasite systems.
  • Complex life cycles of parasites like schistosomes facilitate HGT.
  • Further research is crucial to determine the prevalence and impact of HGT on coevolution.