根据罗格斯大学的一项合作研究，海洋中的藻类经常从细菌身上窃取基因，以获得有益的属性，例如能够耐受胁迫环境或分解碳水化合物作为食物。基因获取（gene stealing or acquisition，known as horizontal gene transfer，基因窃取或获取，称为基因水平转移）对一个庞大而古老的藻类和原生生物群体（主要是单细胞生物，包括原生动物）的进化产生了重大影响。

Algae in the oceans often steal genes from bacteria

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200429144920.htm

Journal Reference:

1. Xiao Fan, Huan Qiu, Wentao Han, Yitao Wang, Dong Xu, Xiaowen Zhang, Debashish Bhattacharya, Naihao Ye. Phytoplankton pangenome reveals extensive prokaryotic horizontal gene transfer of diverse functions. Science Advances, 2020; 6 (18): eaba0111 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba0111