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Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
Published on: August 14, 2018
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Toxic genes present a unique phylogenetic signature
1Dept. of Evolutionary Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel.
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
|August 27, 2017
Summary
Toxic genes resist horizontal gene transfer (HGT), challenging the Tree of Life for prokaryotes. A new mathematical tool, quartet plurality distribution (QPD), reveals gene toxicity across species.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) significantly impacts prokaryotic evolution, questioning the traditional Tree of Life concept.
- The prevalence and routes of HGT are actively researched, with varying transfer rates observed for different genes.
- Some genes are toxic to specific organisms, hindering their successful transfer and integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate between genes with high HGT rates and those with limited transfer due to toxicity.
- To analytically demonstrate that genes toxic to a species also exhibit general resistance to HGT.
- To introduce and validate the quartet plurality distribution (QPD) as a tool for analyzing HGT patterns and gene properties.
Main Methods:
- Distinguishing between genes based on their observed HGT rates and toxicity profiles.
- Analytical modeling to predict the relationship between gene toxicity and HGT resistance.
- Application of the quartet plurality distribution (QPD), a mathematical tool, to assess HGT tendencies across gene sets and species.
- Utilizing multiple computational tools to gather supporting evidence.
Main Results:
- Genes identified as toxic to specific species, such as E. coli, show a general resistance to horizontal gene transfer.
- The quartet plurality distribution (QPD) effectively measures the tendency of gene sets to undergo HGT.
- Aggregated QPD analysis reveals inherent properties of gene collections, including resistance to transfer.
- Evidence supports the inverse correlation between gene toxicity and HGT prevalence.
Conclusions:
- Gene toxicity is a significant factor limiting horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes.
- The quartet plurality distribution (QPD) is a valuable new tool for uncovering gene toxicity across diverse prokaryotic species.
- Findings contribute to a deeper understanding of prokaryotic evolution and genome dynamics.
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