Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bacterial genomes exhibit a remarkable degree of variation in the presence and absence of genes, which probably extends to the level of individual pathways. This variation may be a consequence of the significant evolutionary role pla...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2012-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/55 |
| _version_ | 1818908638342807552 |
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| author | Francis Andrew R Tanaka Mark M |
| author_facet | Francis Andrew R Tanaka Mark M |
| author_sort | Francis Andrew R |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bacterial genomes exhibit a remarkable degree of variation in the presence and absence of genes, which probably extends to the level of individual pathways. This variation may be a consequence of the significant evolutionary role played by horizontal gene transfer, but might also be explained by the loss of genes through mutation. A challenge is to understand why there would be variation in gene presence within pathways if they confer a benefit only when complete.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we develop a mathematical model to study how variation in pathway content is produced by horizontal transfer, gene loss and partial exposure of a population to a novel environment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We discuss the possibility that variation in gene presence acts as cryptic genetic variation on which selection acts when the appropriate environment occurs. We find that a high level of variation in gene presence can be readily explained by decay of the pathway through mutation when there is no longer exposure to the selective environment, or when selection becomes too weak to maintain the genes. In the context of pathway variation the role of horizontal gene transfer is probably the initial introduction of a complete novel pathway rather than in building up the variation in a genome without the pathway.</p> |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0d026891bd1479ab32a4727a8977b79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:14:12Z |
| publishDate | 2012-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0d026891bd1479ab32a4727a8977b792022-12-21T20:03:49ZengBMCBMC Evolutionary Biology1471-21482012-04-011215510.1186/1471-2148-12-55Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathwaysFrancis Andrew RTanaka Mark M<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bacterial genomes exhibit a remarkable degree of variation in the presence and absence of genes, which probably extends to the level of individual pathways. This variation may be a consequence of the significant evolutionary role played by horizontal gene transfer, but might also be explained by the loss of genes through mutation. A challenge is to understand why there would be variation in gene presence within pathways if they confer a benefit only when complete.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we develop a mathematical model to study how variation in pathway content is produced by horizontal transfer, gene loss and partial exposure of a population to a novel environment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We discuss the possibility that variation in gene presence acts as cryptic genetic variation on which selection acts when the appropriate environment occurs. We find that a high level of variation in gene presence can be readily explained by decay of the pathway through mutation when there is no longer exposure to the selective environment, or when selection becomes too weak to maintain the genes. In the context of pathway variation the role of horizontal gene transfer is probably the initial introduction of a complete novel pathway rather than in building up the variation in a genome without the pathway.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/55BacteriaEvolutionPathwayCryptic genetic variationde FinettiMathematical modelHorizontal gene transferReductive evolutionGenome evolution |
| spellingShingle | Francis Andrew R Tanaka Mark M Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways BMC Evolutionary Biology Bacteria Evolution Pathway Cryptic genetic variation de Finetti Mathematical model Horizontal gene transfer Reductive evolution Genome evolution |
| title | Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways |
| title_full | Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways |
| title_short | Evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways |
| title_sort | evolution of variation in presence and absence of genes in bacterial pathways |
| topic | Bacteria Evolution Pathway Cryptic genetic variation de Finetti Mathematical model Horizontal gene transfer Reductive evolution Genome evolution |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/55 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francisandrewr evolutionofvariationinpresenceandabsenceofgenesinbacterialpathways AT tanakamarkm evolutionofvariationinpresenceandabsenceofgenesinbacterialpathways |