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Transposable phages, DNA reorganization and transfer.
Ariane Toussaint1, Phoebe A Rice2
1Génétique et Physiologie Bactérienne, Université Libre de Bruxelles, IBMM-DBM, 12 Rue des Professeurs Jeneer et Brachet, B 6041 Gosselies, Belgium.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|May 29, 2017
Summary
Transposable bacteriophages integrate DNA into host genomes, reorganizing them and facilitating horizontal gene transfer (HGT). This process, involving replicative transposition, is increasingly recognized as a common mechanism in bacterial populations.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Transposable bacteriophages are known to integrate their DNA into host genomes.
- This integration involves replicative transposition and leads to genome reorganization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of transposable phages in horizontal gene transfer (HGT).
- To investigate the prevalence of transposable phages in bacterial populations.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and detection of transposable phages.
- Sequence similarity searches in bacterial genomes.
Main Results:
- Transposable phages integrate into host genomes, causing profound reorganization.
- Conjugative elements can integrate or acquire chromosomal segments via phage transposition.
- Increasing detection of transposable phages across diverse bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Transposable phage-mediated HGT is a significant and potentially pervasive mechanism in nature.
- The findings highlight the dynamic nature of bacterial genomes influenced by phage activity.
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