DNA is the genetic material of various organisms. Extracellular DNA adsorbed or bound on surface-active particles in soils has been shown to persist for long periods against nucleases degradation and still retain the ability to transform competent cells. This paper reviews some recent advances on the binding and transformation of extracellular DNA in soils,which is fundamental to understanding the nature of the soil, regulating biodiversity, and assessing the risk of releasing genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) as well as being helpful for development of the genetic evolutional theory of bacteria. Several influencing factors, such as soil pH, ionic strength, soil surface properties, and characteristics of the DNA polymer, are discussed. To date, the understanding of the type of molecular binding sites and the conformation of adsorbed and bound DNA to soil particles is still in its infancy.