Gene transfer enables bacteria to adapt to their environment. To sensitively detect gene transfer, we created a synthetic biology tool that introduces an identifiable barcode into RNA when microbes exchange DNA. When applied in a wastewater community, high-throughput sequencing revealed which microbes in the community participated in gene transfer.
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References
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This is a summary of: Kalvapalle, P. B. et al. Information storage across a microbial community using universal RNA barcoding. Nat. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02593-0 (2025).
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Sensitive detection of gene transfer in a microbial community. Nat Biotechnol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02639-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-025-02639-3
