Editing Gram-positive bacteria (section)

==Bacterial transformation==
[[Transformation (genetics)|Transformation]] is one of three processes for [[horizontal gene transfer]], in which exogenous genetic material passes from a donor bacterium to a recipient bacterium, the other two processes being [[Bacterial conjugation|conjugation]] (transfer of [[Plasmid|genetic material]] between two bacterial cells in direct contact) and [[Transduction (genetics)|transduction]] (injection of donor bacterial DNA by a [[bacteriophage]] virus into a recipient host bacterium).<ref name="Johnston">{{Cite journal |last1=Johnston |first1=C. |last2=Martin |first2=B. |last3=Fichant |first3=G. |last4=Polard |first4=P |last5=Claverys |first5=J.P. |year=2014 |title=Bacterial transformation: distribution, shared mechanisms and divergent control |journal=Nature Reviews. Microbiology |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=181–196 |doi=10.1038/nrmicro3199 |pmid=24509783 |s2cid=23559881}}</ref><ref name="Korotetskiy">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Korotetskiy I, Shilov S, Kuznetsova T, Kerimzhanova B, Korotetskaya N, Ivanova L, Zubenko N, Parenova R, Reva O |year=2023 |title=Analysis of Whole-Genome Sequences of Pathogenic Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Isolates from the Same Hospital Environment to Investigate Common Evolutionary Trends Associated with Horizontal Gene Exchange, Mutations and DNA Methylation Patterning |journal=Microorganisms |volume=11 |issue=2 |page=323 |doi=10.3390/microorganisms11020323 |pmc=9961978 |pmid=36838287 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In transformation, the genetic material passes through the intervening medium, and uptake is completely dependent on the recipient bacterium.<ref name="Johnston" />

As of 2014 about 80 species of bacteria were known to be capable of transformation, about evenly divided between gram-positive and [[gram-negative bacteria]]; the number might be an overestimate since several of the reports are supported by single papers.<ref name="Johnston" />  Transformation among gram-positive bacteria has been studied in medically important species such as ''[[Streptococcus pneumoniae]]'', ''[[Streptococcus mutans]]'', ''[[Staphylococcus aureus]]'' and ''[[Streptococcus sanguinis]]'' and in gram-positive soil bacteria ''[[Bacillus subtilis]]'' and ''[[Bacillus cereus]]''.<ref name="Michod">{{Cite journal |last1=Michod |first1=R.E. |last2=Bernstein |first2=H. |last3=Nedelcu |first3=A.M. |year=2008 |title=Adaptive value of sex in microbial pathogens |journal=Infection, Genetics and Evolution |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=267–285 |doi=10.1016/j.meegid.2008.01.002 |pmid=18295550|bibcode=2008InfGE...8..267M }}</ref>