Natural genetic engineering could be key to climate

London, Sep 30 (PTI) Researchers from the University of Sheffield are investigating how plants use “natural genetic engineering" to borrow genes from other species and adapt more quickly to environmental change. This groundbreaking research will focus on Lateral Gene Transfer (LGT), a process where plants acquire useful genes directly from other species. Unlike the slow process of random mutation and natural selection, LGT could allow plants to bypass traditional evolutionary pathways and respond more quickly to environmental pressures. While it’s long been understood that evolution happens through the gradual accumulation of random mutations, this research aims to understand a more dynamic process.

LGT involves the direct movement of genetic material between organisms without sexual re