Mycobacteria get all the advantages of sex with none of the downsides

Sexual reproduction is costly to organisms that depend on it, like humans. In contrast, bacteria reproduce by asexual reproduction, which is more efficient but doesn't allow genomic mixing, making them vulnerable to environmental change. A new report describes a process by which mycobacteria gain the best of both worlds, mixing their genomes as thoroughly as sexual organisms do, while retaining the advantages of asexual reproduction.

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