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Cockroach Genomes Show Millions-Year-Old Bacterial DNA Transfer

6/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers examined the genomes of several cockroach species and found bacterial DNA fragments that have persisted for millions of years.
The study showed that horizontal gene transfer occurs frequently in multicellular animals, not just in microbes.
In multicellular animals, foreign DNA must reach germ-cell nuclei to be inherited because microbes lack a nuclear membrane and incorporate environmental DNA more easily.

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Story summary

Researchers examined the genomes of several cockroach species and found bacterial DNA fragments that have persisted for millions of years.
The study showed that horizontal gene transfer occurs frequently in multicellular animals, not just in microbes.
In multicellular animals, foreign DNA must reach germ-cell nuclei to be inherited because microbes lack a nuclear membrane and incorporate environmental DNA more easily.