Bacterial conjugation betweenEscherichia coli andPseudomonas spp. donor and recipient cells in soil

Intergeneric transfer of chromosomal and conjugative plasmid genes between Ralstonia solanacearum and Acinetobacter sp. BD413

Conjugative transfer of a broad-host range plasmid and transformation-mediated transfer of chromosomal genes were found to occur at significant frequencies between Ralstonia solanacearum and Acinetobacter sp. in planta. These intergeneric gene transfers are related to the conditions provided by the infected plant, including the extensive multiplication of these two bacteria in planta and the development of a competence state in Acinetobacter sp. Although interkingdom DNA transfer from nuclear transgenic plants to these bacteria was not detectable, plants infected by pathogens (e.g., Ralstonia solanacearum) and co-colonized by soil saprophyte bacteria (e.g., Acinetobacter sp.) can be considered as potential "hot spots" for gene transfer, even between phylogenetically remote organisms.

Natural genetic transformation of clinical isolates of Escherichia coli in urine and water

Transfer of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli wild-type strains is possible by transformation under naturally occurring conditions in oligotrophic, aquatic environments containing physiologic concentrations of calcium. In contrast, transformation is suppressed in nitrogen-rich body fluids like urine, a common habitat of uropathogenic strains. Current knowledge indicates that transformation of these E. coli wild-type strains is of no relevance for the acquisition of resistance in this clinically important environment.

Molecular evolution in bacteria

Recent advances in microbiology and molecular biology have a unifying influence on our understanding of genetic diversity/similarity and evolutionary relationships in microorganisms. This article attempts to unify information from diverse areas such as microbiology, molecular biology, microbial physiology, clay crystal genes, metals-microbe-clay interactions and bacterial DNA restriction-modification systems (R-M) as they may apply to molecular evolution of bacteria. The possibility is discussed that the first informational molecules may have been catalytic RNA (micro-assembler) not DNA (now the master copy) and these first micro-assemblers may have been precursors of ribosomes.