> There certainly are examples of such 'jumping genes' in several
> kingdoms of biology.  The question is whether in this rumoured case the
> microbes did incorporate into their DNA the transgene(s) which had been
> artificially inserted into the plant.  If so, the explanation will
> presumably rely on the known higher tendency of transgenes inserted with
> the CaMV promoter to jump further in horizontal gene transfer.

Does that suggest that antibiotic resistance, which I believe was used as a
marker for testing gene transfer success -- as mentioned here earlier -- may be
one of those transgenes that may have "jump(ed) farther"?

If so, then the implications are pretty amazing.

allen
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