Microbial genetics is a subject area within microbiology and genetic engineering. Microbial genetics studies microorganisms for different purposes. The microorganisms that are observed are bacteria, and archaea. Some fungi and protozoa are also subjects used to study in this field. The studies of microorganisms involve studies of genotype and expression system. Genotypes are the inherited compositions of an organism. Genetic Engineering is a field of work and study within microbial genetics. The usage of recombinant DNA technology is a process of this work. The process involves creating recombinant DNA molecules through manipulating a DNA sequence. That DNA created is then in contact with a host organism. Cloning is also an example of genetic engineering.

One major difference between the genomes of microorganisms and higher eukaryotes, is the presence of circular, extra-chromosomal DNA called plasmids. Plasmids can be transferred via horizontal DNA transfer from on cell of the same generation to another, mediating the rapid evolution of many different organisms.

The study of microbial genomes helps us to better understand the broader biology of bacteria, and how their genetic composition contributes to their tangible characteristics. The study of genomics is also important to infer the evolution of bacteria. Bacteria often evolve not just through small, single nucleotide level changes but through quantum evolutionary events. These include through the transfer of plasmids between species and also the transposition of large genetic elements within single cells. Understanding these processes allows us to determine the origins of bacteria and map the transfer of genes such as those conferring antibiotic resistance.

 Cloning exploits bacterial restriction enzymes, proteins that ‘restrict’ the replication of bacteriophages (viruses) in bacteria. Bacterium-specific DNA methylation patterns are epigenetic features that protect their genomes from restriction. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is based on the heat-resistant polymerases found in archaea from high-temperature environments. PCR is now in routine use in molecular biology and in forensic laboratories. The public has become accustomed to descriptions in the news media of CRISPR-Cas as a ‘gene editing tool’. In fact, it is an adaptive immunity system used by bacteria to identify and to destroy invading DNA molecules, including viruses.

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Microbiology: Current Research
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