Horizontal gene transfer accelerates genome innovation and evolution.

@article{Jain2003HorizontalGT,
  title={Horizontal gene transfer accelerates genome innovation and evolution.},
  author={Ravi Jain and Maria C. Rivera and Jonathan E. Moore and James Alan Lake},
  journal={Molecular biology and evolution},
  year={2003},
  volume={20 10},
  pages={
          1598-602
        }
}
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) spreads genetic diversity by moving genes across species boundaries. By rapidly introducing newly evolved genes into existing genomes, HGT circumvents the slow step of ab initio gene creation and accelerates genome innovation. However, HGT can only affect organisms that readily exchange genes (exchange communities). In order to define exchange communities and understand the internal and external environmental factors that regulate HGT, we analyzed approximately 20… 
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