Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Le Yuan, Hongzhong Lu, Feiran Li, Jens Nielsen, Eduard J. Kerkhoven
Summary: In this study, a computational toolbox called HGTphyloDetect was developed, which combines high-throughput analysis with phylogenetic inference to accurately identify horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events and illustrate the transmission pathway among evolutionarily distant or closely related species. The HGTphyloDetect toolbox is user-friendly, capable of detecting HGT events with high efficiency and low false discovery rate.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shuyao Zhu, Bingqing Yang, Yuqian Jia, Feiyu Yu, Zhiqiang Wang, Yuan Liu
Summary: This study aimed to explore the impact of different disinfectants on the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their underlying mechanisms. The results showed that quaternary ammonium salt, organic halogen, alcohol, and guanidine disinfectants significantly facilitated the conjugative transfer, while heavy metals, peroxides, and phenols displayed an inhibitory effect. Furthermore, guanidine disinfectants promoted conjugation through increased cell membrane permeability, over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), enhanced SOS response, and altered expression of conjugative transfer-related genes. Moreover, guanidine disinfectants also promoted bacterial energy metabolism and flagellum motility. These findings highlight the potential risks caused by the massive use of guanidine disinfectants, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eivind A. B. Undheim, Ronald A. Jenner
Summary: Animal venoms have evolved through recruitment of endogenous proteins with physiological functions, with centipedes being the only known animals with venoms containing gene families derived from horizontal gene transfer events. Horizontal gene transfer serves as a fast track channel for the evolution of novelty in animal venoms.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Xuhua Xia
Summary: This study investigates the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and other mycobacterial species, and its contribution to antibiotic resistance in Mtb. The findings suggest that while HGT occurs in the Mtb complex, antibiotic resistance in Mtb is primarily acquired through mutations in drug-targeted genes within the Mtb complex.
Article
Microbiology
Isabel R. Baker, Bridget E. Conley, Jeffrey A. Gralnick, Peter R. Girguis
Summary: The study reveals that genes encoding the EET system MtrCAB are widespread in diverse bacteria, highlighting the ubiquity and potential impact of EET in our biosphere. These genes have been mainly disseminated through horizontal transfer, with changes observed in different lineages indicating adaptations to changing environments.
Article
Microbiology
Isabel R. Baker, Bridget E. Conley, Jeffrey A. Gralnick, Peter R. Girguis
Summary: Some bacteria and archaea have evolved the ability to use extracellular electron transfer (EET) as a means of energy metabolism. The MtrCAB system, which transfers electrons from metabolic substrates to electron acceptors outside the cell, has been found in a diverse range of bacteria. These findings highlight the broad relevance of EET to different taxa and biogeochemical cycles in our biosphere and provide a foundation for further research on its evolution and role in Earth's redox landscape.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joshua G. Philips, Elena Martin-Avila, Andrea V. Robold
Summary: This review provides updated evidence on the likelihood, factors, and barriers for horizontal gene transfer in genetically modified plants, and presents the legislation and frameworks followed by the Australian Gene Technology Regulator in considering the risks posed by horizontal gene transfer.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hande Acar Kirit, Jonathan P. Bollback, Mato Lagator
Summary: Gene-by-environment interactions have a significant impact on horizontal gene transfer, affecting how the transferred genes alter the host's fitness. In this experimental study, we used a high-throughput technique to measure the fitness effects of 44 orthologs transferred from Salmonella Typhimurium to Escherichia coli in various physiological environments. We found that the fitness effects of individual genes were highly influenced by the environment, while the distributions of fitness effects across genes were consistent across all tested environments.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yun Wang, Franz Baumdicker, Paul Schweiger, Sven Kuenzel, Fabian Staubach
Summary: The study reveals the significant impact of microbial genomic variation on host fitness, with the thiamine biosynthesis pathway playing a role in the variation of offspring production in Drosophila. Horizontal gene transfer can enhance microbiome flexibility and potentially contribute to host adaptation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nuria Marti Gutierrez, Aleksei Mikhalchenko, Hong Ma, Amy Koski, Ying Li, Crystal Van Dyken, Rebecca Tippner-Hedges, David Yoon, Dan Liang, Tomonari Hayama, David Battaglia, Eunju Kang, Yeonmi Lee, Anthony Paul Barnes, Paula Amato, Shoukhrat Mitalipov
Summary: Cells can acquire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from other cells without a parent-offspring relationship, and this acquisition can occur at high levels. The transfer of mtDNA may serve as a compensatory mechanism to restore compromised mitochondrial function. These findings have important implications for understanding mtDNA transfer and developing gene therapies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cecilie Baekkedal Sonnenberg, Peik Haugen
Summary: Multipartite bacteria have one chromosome and one or more chromid, which contribute to genomic flexibility. Through comparative analysis, we found that bipartite genomes are more open compared to monopartite genomes. The shell and cloud pangene categories drive the openness of bipartite genomes in Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeffrey J. Power, Fernanda Pinheiro, Simone Pompei, Viera Kovacova, Melih Yueksel, Isabel Rathmann, Mona Foerster, Michael Laessig, Berenike Maier
Summary: Horizontal gene transfer is an important factor in bacterial evolution, allowing for rapid evolution and increased adaptation in recipient organisms. Adaptive evolution mainly occurs in populations with increased fitness, with HGT selection having a broad genetic basis and showing different types of selection in functional gene networks.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rui-Fang Gao, Jie-Yu Wang, Ke-Wei Liu, Kouki Yoshida, Yu-Yun Hsiao, Yi-Xiang Shi, Kun-Chan Tsai, You-Yi Chen, Nobutaka Mitsuda, Chieh-Kai Liang, Zhi-Wen Wang, Ying Wang, Di-Yang Zhang, Laiqiang Huang, Xiang Zhao, Wen-Ying Zhong, Ying-Hui Cheng, Zi-De Jiang, Ming-He Li, Wei-Hong Sun, Xia Yu, Wenqi Hu, Zhuang Zhou, Xiao-Fan Zhou, Chuan-Ming Yeh, Kazutaka Katoh, Wen-Chieh Tsai, Zhong-Jian Liu, Francis Martin, Gui-Ming Zhang
Summary: This study focused on sequencing the genomes of two Phytophthora species to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within the genus and identify genomic features associated with infection and pathogenicity. The research found that some Phytophthora genes may be inherited from red algae, while horizontally-transferred genes are largely transposons facilitating gene recombination. The study also highlighted expansion events in Phytophthora gene families linked to cell wall biogenesis, which can serve as mutational targets for understanding gene function in pathogenic interactions with host plants and guiding phytopathological control strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yingfeng Niu, Chengwen Gao, Jin Liu
Summary: The study reported and compared four newly sequenced plastid genomes of the genus Mangifera, finding high similarities among them. Certain DNA sequences were identified as potential DNA barcodes for Mangifera, and interspecies relationships were well resolved based on whole plastid genome data. Additionally, the study revealed large fragments transferred from the plastid genome to the mitochondrial genome.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhao-Bing Guo, Wen-Long Sun, Xiao-Jun Zuo, Hai-Liang Song, Hao Ling, Shuai Zhang
Summary: This study assessed the risk of antibiotic resistance gene (ARGs) transmission in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and explored the mechanisms of ARG transfer under different voltage conditions. The results showed that voltage and donor cell number significantly influenced the frequency of ARG transfer, and high voltage increased the production of reactive oxygen species and cell membrane permeability.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)