Membrane vesicles and horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes
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Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Methodology for the Study of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Staphylococcus aureus
Published on: March 10, 2017
Sara Domingues1, Kaare M Nielsen2
1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
Membrane vesicles (MVs) are released from all living cells. MVs are lumen-containing spheres of lipid-bilayers derived from the cell surface. MVs are biologically active and contain various components, including genetic material. Both chromosomal and plasmid DNA, as well as different types of RNA have been detected in MVs. Vesicle-mediated transfer of genes coding for antibiotic resistance, virulence and metabolic traits has been reported in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and in Archaea. MVs can persist over time in natural environments. Here we review the characteristics of and the role of MVs in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) processes in prokaryotes.
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