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Related Concept Videos

Horizontal Gene Transfer01:27

Horizontal Gene Transfer

21
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a process where genetic material moves between organisms within the same generation, unlike vertical gene transfer, which occurs from parent to offspring. HGT plays a crucial role in microbial evolution, adaptation, and survival, particularly in shared environments like the human gut.Mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, prophages, integrons, insertion sequences, and transposons facilitate this process. HGT occurs through three primary mechanisms:...
21
Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms02:18

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

28.0K
Genetic transfer occurs when genetic information is passed from one organism to another. It occurs via two mechanisms: vertical gene transfer and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer occurs when genetic information is transferred from one generation to the next, which happens much more frequently than horizontal gene transfer. Both sexual and asexual reproduction are forms of vertical gene transfer, where one or more organisms pass some or all of their genome onto their progeny.
28.0K
Transduction01:16

Transduction

21
Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome...
21
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

8.0K
While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
8.0K
Conjugation01:19

Conjugation

22
Conjugation is a form of horizontal gene transfer that primarily occurs in bacteria and some archaea, promoting genetic diversity and adaptation. Bacteria can acquire resistance genes through conjugative plasmids, allowing them to survive antibiotic treatments that would otherwise be lethal. This process involves direct contact between cells through specialized structures such as the sex pilus and is mediated by conjugative plasmids, including the F (fertility) factor.Conjugation requires...
22
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

6.1K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
6.1K

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Methodology for the Study of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Staphylococcus aureus
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Programming dynamic division of labor using horizontal gene transfer.

Grayson S Hamrick, Rohan Maddamsetti, Hye-In Son

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    |October 24, 2023
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    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Dynamic division of labor (DDOL) using horizontal gene transfer (HGT) stabilizes complex metabolic pathways in microbes. This approach overcomes challenges in microbial communities, enabling robust biomanufacturing and environmental applications.

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    Area of Science:

    • Microbial metabolic engineering
    • Synthetic biology
    • Microbial community dynamics

    Background:

    • Metabolic engineering introduces complex pathways into microbes for applications like biomanufacturing.
    • High metabolic burden from these pathways limits host cell productivity and efficiency.
    • Current division of labor (DOL) strategies face challenges in maintaining distinct microbial subpopulations due to competition.

    Approach:

    • Developed a modeling framework to investigate dynamic division of labor (DDOL) mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT).
    • Utilized plasmid genomics to identify evidence of DDOL in natural microbial communities.
    • Proposed HGT as a mechanism to stabilize synthetic metabolic pathways.

    Key Points:

    • DDOL via HGT effectively overcomes limitations in maintaining engineered microbial subpopulations.
    • HGT facilitates the robust execution of burdensome, multi-step metabolic pathways.
    • Evidence suggests DDOL is a naturally occurring strategy in microbial ecosystems.

    Conclusions:

    • Harnessing HGT can stabilize synthetic metabolic pathways in microbial communities.
    • Engineered microbial systems can be made more robust for diverse applications.
    • This strategy enhances the potential for microbial applications in biomanufacturing and environmental remediation.