Gene Transfer News and Research

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Gene Transfer is the insertion of genetic material into a cell.

$1 million grant advances research into RNA-DNA virus evolution

Much remains unknown about the origin of viruses and how they evolve - but hunting for answers has been the focus of Portland State biology professor Ken Stedman's eXtreme Virus Lab for the past 25 years.

27 Oct 2026

Ancient gut microbes migrated with humans across the globe

As waves of humans left Africa tens of thousands of years ago, eventually populating the entire planet, they were joined on their world-conquering ride by the trillions of microorganisms that compose the gut microbiome.

7 Oct 2026

Microplastics transport toxins and antibiotic resistance across ecosystems

Microplastics are often viewed as pollutants in their own right, but their environmental impact may extend far beyond the plastic particles themselves.

4 Sep 2026

Tire microplastics could fuel antibiotic resistance in urban environments

Tiny particles released as vehicle tires wear down may do more than pollute urban air, water, and soil. A new perspective article suggests that tire microplastics could create environmental hotspots that help antibiotic resistance genes persist, move between bacteria, and spread through cities.

29 Jul 2026

Evidence shows artificial sweeteners cannot be judged as a single group

This narrative review found that non-nutritive artificial sweeteners have compound-specific and context-dependent associations with gut microbiota, metabolism, and health-related outcomes. Evidence does not support treating all sweeteners as uniformly harmful or safe, with human findings often limited or inconsistent.

23 Jul 2026

Study reveals unexpected mechanism driving extreme antibiotic resistance

A patient with a severe infection is prescribed a potent antibiotic. Hopes for improvement are high, but just after treatment is given, resistance to the drug increases thousands of times. How could this happen?

23 Jul 2026

Synthetic biology platform unmasks hidden bacterial targets of bacteriophages

An interdisciplinary team of Rice University researchers has uncovered previously unknown relationships between bacteriophages - viruses that infect bacteria - and their bacterial hosts, offering a powerful new tool for next-generation microbiome engineering.

17 Jun 2026

Molecular gatekeepers in bacteria prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance

A new study finds that bacteria can actively block the transfer of beneficial genes to neighboring cells, using specialized proteins to specifically destroy shared DNA before it spreads.

25 Apr 2026

Newborns carry antibiotic resistance genes within first hours of life

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) – segments of DNA that help bacteria survive the effects of antibiotics – can be present in newborns within the first hours of life, according to research presented at ESCMID Global 2026.

20 Apr 2026

New research reveals how bacteria "selflessly" share DNA through GTAs

Research has shed important new light on the enemies-turned-allies that allow bacteria to exchange genes, including those linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

16 Apr 2026

Non-clinical safety assessment crucial for CRISPR-based gene therapies

The rapid evolution of CRISPR/Cas genome editing has redefined the possibilities of cellular and gene therapy, enabling precise correction, disruption, and regulation of disease-associated genes.

10 Apr 2026

Microbial generalists form planet-wide networks across ecosystems

In a new study published in Cell, scientists in the Bork Group at EMBL Heidelberg reveal that microbes living in similar habitats are more alike than those simply inhabiting the same geographical region.

10 Feb 2026

Climate change is accelerating antibiotic resistance across the Western Pacific

Urgent action is needed as climate change fuels antibiotic resistance in the Western Pacific, threatening health and highlighting socioeconomic vulnerabilities.

6 Feb 2026

How conflicting MIC breakpoints distort antimicrobial resistance data

The review emphasizes that differing CLSI and EUCAST breakpoints complicate AMR tracking, calling for standardized criteria to enhance global health security.

3 Feb 2026

Bacteria repurpose viral injection systems to target diverse cells

New study shows how bacteria adapted a virus-derived injection system to recognize and attach to many different types of cells.

2 Feb 2026

One Health action needed as environmental reservoirs fuel drug-resistant infections

Environmental antimicrobial resistance is turning rivers, soils, and even the air into hidden highways for "superbugs," according to a new review that calls for urgent, coordinated action across human, animal, and environmental health.

9 Jan 2026

Earthworm-based composting offers a low-energy solution to antibiotic resistance

Earthworms could become unexpected allies in the global fight against antibiotic resistance, by helping farmers turn manure into safer, high-value organic fertilizer through a process called vermicomposting.

9 Jan 2026

Recent advances in CAR-NK cell therapy could revolutionze cancer treatment

Cell-based immunotherapies have transformed cancer treatment, yet their widespread use remains constrained by safety risks, manufacturing complexity, and limited effectiveness against solid tumors.

8 Jan 2026

Sub-lethal water disinfection can unintentionally boost the spread of antibiotic resistance

The study reveals that environmental stressors do not merely kill bacteria; they can also prime surviving cells to take up resistance genes more efficiently, raising concerns about how antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread in aquatic environments.

8 Jan 2026

How modern diets are driving rapid evolution in gut bacteria

A novel iLDS statistic uncovers adaptive gene sweeps in gut bacteria, highlighting evolutionary responses to modern diets and enhancing microbiome studies.

2 Jan 2026