Cell-envelope conduits enable transfer of megabase-sized double-stranded DNA between cells of the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii
Sina Manger, Clara Börnsen, Sara Garcia Torres, Pauline Roth, Julian Sommer, Ashwin Balakrishnan, Felix Langschied, C Thiel, Inga Hänelt, Mike Heilemann, Stephan Goettig, Ingo Ebersberger, Klaas Martinus Pos, Achilleas S Frangakis
The paper identifies cell-envelope conduits in Acinetobacter baumannii that enable direct transfer of large chromosomal DNA segments between cells.
bioRxiv · Sep 3, 2026 · PreprintMicrobiology