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The evolution of microbial phosphonate degradative pathways.

Jinling Huang1, Zhengchang Su, Ying Xu

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.

Journal of Molecular Evolution
|October 26, 2005
PubMed
Summary
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Microbial phosphonate utilization offers a phosphorus source. Gene clusters for phosphonate degradation pathways show significant variation and are often linked to mobile elements, suggesting extensive horizontal gene transfer in their evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Microbial phosphonate utilization is a key source of phosphorus for growth.
  • Two main pathways, C-P lyase and phosphonatase, facilitate phosphonate degradation.
  • These pathways are found across diverse bacterial species, indicating ancient origins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic organization and evolutionary history of phosphonate degradative pathways.
  • To identify conserved and variable elements within phosphonate utilization gene clusters.
  • To explore the role of mobile genetic elements in the dissemination of these pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics of phosphonate utilization gene clusters across bacterial species.
  • Phylogenetic analysis of gene families involved in phosphonate metabolism.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Identification and characterization of hypothetical proteins associated with these pathways.

    • Main Results:

    • The C-P lyase pathway (phn gene clusters) exhibits significant structural variation but conserves essential genes (phnG-phnM) for C-P bond cleavage.
    • In Erwinia carotovora, phosphonate biosynthesis genes are co-located with C-P lyase genes.
    • A hypothetical protein (DUF1045) is frequently associated with phn clusters and likely involved in C-P bond cleavage.
    • Phosphonate degradation genes often associate with mobile elements like transposases.
    • Phylogenetic analyses strongly support extensive horizontal gene transfer in the evolution of both pathways.

    Conclusions:

    • Phosphonate utilization pathways have evolved through extensive horizontal gene transfer, facilitated by mobile genetic elements.
    • The association of biosynthesis and degradation genes suggests coordinated regulation and transfer.
    • DUF1045 represents a potentially novel component of the C-P lyase machinery.