{
  "abstract": "Horizontal gene transfer in Acinetobacter baumannii has been attributed to conjugative pili, transduction, and natural transformation. Here, we describe a previously unrecognized type of chromosomal DNA exchange mediated by cell-envelope conduits that establish direct cytoplasmic continuity between neighboring A. baumannii cells. Cryo-electron tomography reveals that these conduits, which were found in multiple clinical isolates, comprise an outer membrane, a peptidoglycan layer, and an inner membrane. The ~65 nm-thick conduits contain two ~2 nm-thick filaments, which super-resolution microscopy identifies as DNA. Interstrain horizontal gene transfer assays coupled with whole-genome sequencing demonstrate the transfer and homologous recombination of chromosomal segments up to 1.1 Mbp, corresponding to as much as 27% of the A. baumannii genome. Together, these findings provide direct structural and functional evidence for a conduit-mediated large-scale chromosomal DNA exchange, thus expanding the known repertoire of horizontal gene transfer strategies that may contribute to the remarkable genomic plasticity of A. baumannii.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Goethe University Frankfurt"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 14,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "S. Manger"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Boernsen"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. G. Torres"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Roth"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Sommer"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Balakrishnan"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. Langschied"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Thiel"
    },
    {
      "name": "I. Haenelt"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Heilemann"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Goettig"
    },
    {
      "name": "I. Ebersberger"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. M. Pos"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "A. Frangakis"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/18pvff8zt9k9t.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.09.02.748809",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.02.748809v1.full",
  "id": "18pvff8zt9k9t",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.02.748809v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "microbiology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1311|Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7208743752",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.02.748809v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-02",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/18pvff8zt9k9t.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:12Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.09.02.748809",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.02.748809v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Cell-envelope conduits enable transfer of megabase-sized double-stranded DNA between cells of the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii",
  "title_text": "Cell-envelope conduits enable transfer of megabase-sized double-stranded DNA between cells of the nosocomial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/18pvff8zt9k9t",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}