Research Product

The exchange of genetic material between microorganisms in soil and aquatic environments is considered in light of the potential of foreign gene desamination from engineered organisms to indigenous bacteria. Abundant indirect evidence suggests that natural isolates can serve as donors and recipients of genetic material. Studies have mostly documented such transfer of plasmid coded antibiotic and metal resistances. However, the scarce information which is available indicates that in situ gene transfer occurs at very low frequencies due to biological and physical parameters of the soil and aquatic environments.