Lateral gene transfer challenges principles of microbial systematics.

Evolutionists strive to learn about the natural historical process that gave rise to various taxa, while also attempting to classify them efficiently and make generalizations about them. The quantitative importance of lateral gene transfer inferred from genomic data, although well acknowledged by microbiologists, is in conflict with the conceptual foundations of the traditional phylogenetic system erected to achieve these goals. To provide a true account of microbial evolution, we suggest developing an alternative conception of natural groups and introduce a new notion--the composite evolutionary unit. Furthermore, we argue that a comprehensive database containing overlapping taxonomical groups would constitute a step forward regarding the classification of microbes in the presence of lateral gene transfer.

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