Bacterial sex: playing voyeurs 50 years later.
The concept of chromosomes with a ring structure was born during the early studies of bacterial sexuality, and the discovery of fertility factors- episomes or plasmids-provided much later the key tools for gene cloning and biotechnology. But the plasmid-mediated transfer of antibiotic and other resistances, as well as pathogenicity, has served bacteria well in their own adaptive evolution.
Kohiyama
Masamichi
M
Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris 6-7, 2 place Jussieu, 75251 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Hiraga
Sota
S
Matic
Ivan
I
Radman
Miroslav
M
D001432:Bacteriology / Q000266:history; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004261:DNA Replication; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005144:F Factor / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D004269:DNA, Bacterial