Plasmids are well known for spreading antibiotic-resistance genes between bacterial strains. Recent experiments show that they can also act as catalysts for evolutionary innovation, promoting rapid evolution of novel antibiotic resistance.
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Hall, J., Harrison, E. Bacterial evolution: Resistance is a numbers game. Nat Microbiol 1, 16235 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.235
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.235