Animals steal defenses from bacteria

(University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine) Bacteria compete for resources in the environment by injecting deadly toxins into their rivals. Researcher have now discovered that many animals steal toxins from bacteria to fight unwanted microbes growing on them. Genes for these toxins have jumped from bacterial to animals. These genes are now permanently incorporated into the genomes of these animals. Deer ticks, which can carry Lyme disease, are one of the many diverse organisms in which toxin gene transfers from bacteria to animal has occurred.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news