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Related Experiment Videos

Evolutionary genomics: transdomain gene transfers.

Seth R Bordenstein1

  • 1Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA. sbordenstein@mbl.edu

Current Biology : CB
|November 7, 2007
PubMed
Summary
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Bacterial gene transfer to animals was thought rare. A new study reveals frequent bacterial endosymbiont gene insertions into invertebrate genomes, challenging this long-held biological view.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Bacterial gene transfer to multicellular organisms, particularly animals, has been considered a rare evolutionary event.
  • Previous research suggested limited horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria to animal lineages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the extent and frequency of bacterial endosymbiont gene integration into invertebrate genomes.
  • To re-evaluate the paradigm of bacterial gene transfer in animal evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics analysis of invertebrate species harboring bacterial endosymbionts.
  • Bioinformatic identification of horizontally transferred genes from bacterial endosymbionts integrated into host genomes.

Main Results:

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  • The study identified numerous instances of promiscuous bacterial endosymbiont gene insertions across various invertebrate genomes.
  • Evidence suggests a higher frequency of gene transfer than previously assumed, impacting invertebrate genetic makeup.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial gene transfer via endosymbionts is a more common phenomenon in invertebrates than previously recognized.
  • This finding necessitates a revision of our understanding of animal genome evolution and inter-kingdom genetic exchange.