ERC Consolidator Grant · 2023
Revealing an active mechanism of horizontal gene transfer in fungi
Current theory asserts that eukaryotic evolution is almost exclusively mediated through vertical transmission, from parent to offspring, and relegates horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the movement of genes between individuals, to an extraordinarily rare event. In recent years, mounting evidence from high-quality genome sequencing has forced the field to consider that HGT is likely a persistent occurrence in eukaryotic evolution. However, as no active mechanism for HGT is known in eukaryotes, the evolutionary origin of these genes remains almost entirely a mystery. A potential vector of HGT in eukaryotes are transposable elements (TEs), parasitic genetic sequences that can replicate…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.