You mentioned it at the end of your article that you should definitely think more about horizontal transfer. It basically lets any individual in a population install a runtime genetic package that can be shared between individuals. It can work extremely fast.
In the lab, we would combine in a gene of interest with an antibiotic resistance gene in a single plasmid and introduce it into a bacterial community. Within 48 hours the only individuals left alive will have the plasmid with the gene of interest.
In the lab, we would combine in a gene of interest with an antibiotic resistance gene in a single plasmid and introduce it into a bacterial community. Within 48 hours the only individuals left alive will have the plasmid with the gene of interest.