
Using Harpoon-Like Appendages, Bacteria ‘Fish’ for New DNA - dnetesn
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/14/science/bacteria-harpoons-dna.html
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kavalg
Does it mean that using a vaccine with a killed microbe could expose the
person to danger if he or she already has the non-pathogen variation of the
same microbe in their body? What if they acquire the non-pathogenic microbe
some time after the vaccination? Is there still a risk for DNA transfer?

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andrewflnr
I'm guessing it's more complicated than that with viruses involved. IIRC
killed viruses like you'd use in a vaccine only include the protein coat, not
the DNA/RNA. Even if that's wrong, you'd be talking about a bacterium stealing
and using viral DNA, which is probably not as easy, and not guaranteed to
produce a result that harms the human involved.

Ed:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inactivated_vaccine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inactivated_vaccine)
methods vary, and some definitely leave in DNA.

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ralusek
Male humans do the same thing.

