Fig. 4: Mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer that contribute to peDNA.

A The origin of sequences comprising peDNA can be either EV-mediated or GTA-mediated gene transfer or via transduction. B Number of MAGs assigned to each mechanism. Of 200 analyzed metagenomic assembled MAGs, 170 could be assigned to predominantly use one of the three mechanisms in order to transport their genetic material into the extracellular space: 129 EV producers, 30 GTA producers and 11 genomes, with an actively transducing phage