Biology's Sarah Bagby discusses research on DNA swapping in microbes
Tiny DNA ‘hitchhikers’ may be reshaping life in thawing Arctic soils
The Microbiologist: Sarah Bagby, associate professor of biology at the College of Arts and Sciences, said microbes constantly swap DNA, allowing them to rapidly adapt to changing environments. She found these genetic exchanges commonly affect essential cellular functions—not just antibiotic resistance—and help determine how thawing Arctic permafrost microbes influence carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions.
