This BAAT knockout model will have several applications ... That antimicrobial activity will be lost if the bacteria conjugate with, say, serine, which is a smaller, hydrophilic amino acid.

Bacteria can also transfer plasmids to one another through a process called conjugation. Scientists have taken advantage of plasmids to use them as tools to clone, transfer, and manipulate genes.

More information: Aaron Yip et al, Degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics by wastewater bacteria engineered via conjugation, Microbial Biotechnology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/1751 ...