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Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

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.

Types of Genetic Transfer Between Organisms

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Gene Duplication and Divergence

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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...

Horizontal Gene Transfer

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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:...

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Gene Flow

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Author Spotlight: Impact of Intergenic Interactions on Disease-Identifying Dark Biomarkers

Author Spotlight: Impact of Intergenic Interactions on Disease-Identifying Dark Biomarkers

Published on: March 1, 2024

A generative model for bipartite gene-sharing networks.

Jaime Iranzo, Pedro Jódar, Eugene V Koonin

|April 27, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study models gene-sharing networks, revealing evolutionary forces like gene gain and loss shape viral genomes. Gene gain appears to be the dominant driver in viral evolution, influencing genome plasticity.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Bioinformatics
Virology

Background:

Gene-sharing networks are crucial for understanding viral and mobile genetic element evolution.
These networks display distinct degree distributions: scale-free for genes and exponential for genomes.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a mechanistic model explaining observed degree distributions in gene-sharing networks.
To identify fundamental evolutionary processes driving genome plasticity.

Main Methods:

Developed a mechanistic model incorporating horizontal gene transfer, gene capture, genome emergence, and gene loss.
Employed mean-field approximation to derive analytical expressions for degree distributions.
Validated predictions through numerical simulations and comparison with empirical data.

Main Results:

The model accurately predicts power-law gene and exponential genome degree distributions.
Parameter values derived from the model closely match empirical data from viral and prokaryotic pangenomes.
Gene gain is identified as the dominant evolutionary force in viral genome evolution.

Conclusions:

A simple, two-parameter model provides a generative framework for bipartite gene-sharing networks.
The model offers insights into evolutionary forces shaping genome plasticity.
Viral evolution is primarily driven by gene gain, with gene loss playing a minimal role.