Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genomes of lower organisms have been observed with a large amount of horizontal gene transfers, which cause difficulties in their evolutionary study. Bacteriophage genomes are a typical example. One recent approach that addresses thi...

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Main Authors: Halgamuge Saman K, Li Jason, Tang Sen-Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2008-04-01
Series:BMC Evolutionary Biology
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/8/116
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author Halgamuge Saman K
Li Jason
Tang Sen-Lin
author_facet Halgamuge Saman K
Li Jason
Tang Sen-Lin
author_sort Halgamuge Saman K
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genomes of lower organisms have been observed with a large amount of horizontal gene transfers, which cause difficulties in their evolutionary study. Bacteriophage genomes are a typical example. One recent approach that addresses this problem is the unsupervised clustering of genomes based on gene order and genome position, which helps to reveal species relationships that may not be apparent from traditional phylogenetic methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We propose the use of an overlapping subspace clustering algorithm for such genome classification problems. The advantage of subspace clustering over traditional clustering is that it can associate clusters with gene arrangement patterns, preserving genomic information in the clusters produced. Additionally, overlapping capability is desirable for the discovery of multiple conserved patterns within a single genome, such as those acquired from different species via horizontal gene transfers. The proposed method involves a novel strategy to vectorize genomes based on their gene distribution. A number of existing subspace clustering and biclustering algorithms were evaluated to identify the best framework upon which to develop our algorithm; we extended a generic subspace clustering algorithm called HARP to incorporate overlapping capability. The proposed algorithm was assessed and applied on bacteriophage genomes. The phage grouping results are consistent overall with the Phage Proteomic Tree and showed common genomic characteristics among the TP901-like, Sfi21-like and sk1-like phage groups. Among 441 phage genomes, we identified four significantly conserved distribution patterns structured by the terminase, portal, integrase, holin and lysin genes. We also observed a subgroup of Sfi21-like phages comprising a distinctive divergent genome organization and identified nine new phage members to the Sfi21-like genus: <it>Staphylococcus </it>71, phiPVL108, <it>Listeria </it>A118, 2389, <it>Lactobacillus phi </it>AT3, A2, <it>Clostridium </it>phi3626, <it>Geobacillus </it>GBSV1, and <it>Listeria monocytogenes </it>PSA.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The method described in this paper can assist evolutionary study through objectively classifying genomes based on their resemblance in gene order, gene content and gene positions. The method is suitable for application to genomes with high genetic exchange and various conserved gene arrangement, as demonstrated through our application on phages.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-82442449dca5414cadbca26eae14049e2022-12-21T19:32:54ZengBMCBMC Evolutionary Biology1471-21482008-04-018111610.1186/1471-2148-8-116Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approachHalgamuge Saman KLi JasonTang Sen-Lin<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genomes of lower organisms have been observed with a large amount of horizontal gene transfers, which cause difficulties in their evolutionary study. Bacteriophage genomes are a typical example. One recent approach that addresses this problem is the unsupervised clustering of genomes based on gene order and genome position, which helps to reveal species relationships that may not be apparent from traditional phylogenetic methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We propose the use of an overlapping subspace clustering algorithm for such genome classification problems. The advantage of subspace clustering over traditional clustering is that it can associate clusters with gene arrangement patterns, preserving genomic information in the clusters produced. Additionally, overlapping capability is desirable for the discovery of multiple conserved patterns within a single genome, such as those acquired from different species via horizontal gene transfers. The proposed method involves a novel strategy to vectorize genomes based on their gene distribution. A number of existing subspace clustering and biclustering algorithms were evaluated to identify the best framework upon which to develop our algorithm; we extended a generic subspace clustering algorithm called HARP to incorporate overlapping capability. The proposed algorithm was assessed and applied on bacteriophage genomes. The phage grouping results are consistent overall with the Phage Proteomic Tree and showed common genomic characteristics among the TP901-like, Sfi21-like and sk1-like phage groups. Among 441 phage genomes, we identified four significantly conserved distribution patterns structured by the terminase, portal, integrase, holin and lysin genes. We also observed a subgroup of Sfi21-like phages comprising a distinctive divergent genome organization and identified nine new phage members to the Sfi21-like genus: <it>Staphylococcus </it>71, phiPVL108, <it>Listeria </it>A118, 2389, <it>Lactobacillus phi </it>AT3, A2, <it>Clostridium </it>phi3626, <it>Geobacillus </it>GBSV1, and <it>Listeria monocytogenes </it>PSA.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The method described in this paper can assist evolutionary study through objectively classifying genomes based on their resemblance in gene order, gene content and gene positions. The method is suitable for application to genomes with high genetic exchange and various conserved gene arrangement, as demonstrated through our application on phages.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/8/116
spellingShingle Halgamuge Saman K
Li Jason
Tang Sen-Lin
Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach
BMC Evolutionary Biology
title Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach
title_full Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach
title_fullStr Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach
title_full_unstemmed Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach
title_short Genome classification by gene distribution: An overlapping subspace clustering approach
title_sort genome classification by gene distribution an overlapping subspace clustering approach
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/8/116
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AT tangsenlin genomeclassificationbygenedistributionanoverlappingsubspaceclusteringapproach