Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-based capsules that protect nucleic acids. Technological challenges in studying EVs
within the ubiquitous uncultured microbial dark matter led to systematic confusion of EVs with lytic phages. DarkWeb aims to
study EVs-mediated networks in nature overcoming the current technological challenges by developing capsule-based
single-cell transcriptomics method. The perspective on horizontal gene transfer within microbial dark matter can undergo a
significant transformation after revealing RNA contained within EVs, assessing their dispersion, and uncovering the
consequences of receiving EVs. The ambition of DarkWeb is to explore the possibility of EV transfer between distant
bacterial lineages and to reveal whether the reception of EVs alters the gene expression of host cells, enhancing their
resistance to environmental threats. The project compares EV-mediated adaptation to environmental stressors in industrial
and natural extreme environments to test my hypothesis that bacteria inadvertently introduced into a toxic environment
activate EV-mediated communication to become adapted to the new harsh conditions. DarkWeb's findings will be applicable
to other environments, making a significant impact on the broad fields of evolutionary biology and microbial ecology.
