Lateral gene transfer, bacterial genome evolution, and the Anthropocene

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Microbiology
• Genetics

Background:

• Lateral gene transfer (LGT) has shaped bacterial evolution, enabling rapid adaptation and the development of resistance.
• Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health crisis driven by the widespread dissemination of resistance genes via LGT.
• Human activities inadvertently promote LGT and select for advantageous gene transfers in bacterial populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of LGT in bacterial evolution and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
• To identify human-driven factors that accelerate LGT rates and gene fixation.
• To highlight the potential for increased virulence and pathogenicity due to universal resistance.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on LGT mechanisms and drivers.
• Analysis of the impact of selective agents on bacterial evolution.
• Examination of environmental and societal factors facilitating gene transfer.

Main Results:

• LGT allows bacteria to acquire adaptive traits, including antimicrobial resistance, contributing to a medical crisis.
• Selective agents, like antibiotics, induce bacterial responses that stimulate LGT.
• Wastewater systems, hospitals, and animal agriculture act as hotspots for LGT, with human-animal contact and globalization accelerating spread.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the ecology of LGT is essential for developing strategies to control its spread.
• Mitigating LGT could help combat antimicrobial resistance and prevent the rise of more virulent bacterial strains.
• Interventions targeting LGT hotspots and pathways are needed to safeguard public health.