Pauline Buffard

Aug 28, 2023 | nature.com | Bram van Dijk |Pauline Buffard |Jeroen Meijer |Bas E Dutilh

AbstractMicrobial evolution is driven by rapid changes in gene content mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). While mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are important drivers of gene flux, the nanobiome—the zoo of Darwinian replicators that depend on microbial hosts—remains poorly characterised. New approaches are necessary to increase our understanding beyond MGEs shaping individual populations, towards their impacts on complex microbial communities.