The Distribution, Evolution, and Roles of Gene Transfer Agents in Prokaryotic Genetic Exchange

Diverse prokaryotes produce gene transfer agents (GTAs), which are bacteriophage-like particles that exclusively package pieces of the producing cell's genome and transfer them to other cells. There are clear evolutionary connections between GTAs and phages, but GTAs have properties that lead us to suggest they are more than simply defective phages and instead provide a selective advantage for the producing organisms. The five types of currently...