Pan-genome evolution and its association with divergence of metabolic functions in Bifidobacterium genus

Previous studies were mainly focused on genomic evolution and diversity of type species of Bifidobacterium genus due to their health-promoting effect on host. However, those studies were mainly based on species-level taxonomic resolution, adaptation, and characterization of carbohydrate metabolic features of the bifidobacterial species. Here, a comprehensive analysis of the type strain genome unveils the association of pan-genome evolution with the divergence of metabolic function of the Bifidobacterium genus. This study has also demonstrated that horizontal gene transfer, as well as genome expansion and reduction events, leads to the divergence of metabolic functions in Bifidobacterium genus. Furthermore, the genome-based search of probiotic traits among all the available bifidobacterial type strains gives hints on type species, that could confer health benefits to nutrient-deficient individuals. Altogether, the present study provides insight into the developments of genomic evolution, functional divergence, and potential probiotic type species of the Bifidobacterium genus.