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Related Experiment Videos

Evolution and the complexity of bacteriophages.

Philip Serwer1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA. serwer@uthscsa.edu

Virology Journal
|March 16, 2007
PubMed
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Cellular gene homologs in bacteriophage genomes may explain evolutionary leaps. This study proposes a new hypothesis and methods to understand viral and prokaryotic evolution and complexity.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Long-genome bacteriophages and eukaryotic viruses possess cellular gene homologs with unexplained selective advantages.
  • These homologs contribute to genomic and biochemical complexity, necessitating biochemically oriented definitions of complexity.
  • Existing complexity definitions are empirically based and do not fully explain the significance of these homologs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose novel, biochemistry-oriented definitions of complexity: decreased randomness or increased non-immediate encoded information.
  • To hypothesize a four-part model explaining cellular gene homologs in bacteriophage genomes and prokaryotic complexity increases.
  • To outline a pathway for evolutionary leaps driven by viral-mediated gene transfer and selection.

Main Methods:

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  • Controlled evolution experiments in microbial communities.
  • Deletion of individual cellular gene homologs to assess effects on bacteriophage and host evolution.
  • Identification of environmental conditions selecting for homologs and bacteriophage genes maintaining them.

Main Results:

  • Hypothesis proposes prokaryotic complexity increases post-split via multi-step selection embedded in viral genomes (first-tier selection).
  • Viral genomes evolved mechanisms to retain cellular genes under stronger, long-term selection (second-tier selection).
  • Prokaryotic cells gained access to improved biochemical systems through DNA transfer of evolved genes from viruses.

Conclusions:

  • The hypothesis offers a general explanation for evolutionary leaps, particularly in prokaryotes.
  • Understanding bacteriophage genomes is crucial for analyzing prokaryotic evolutionary complexity.
  • The findings can aid in understanding and influencing microbial evolution and community dynamics.