title: Organization and evolution of the bacterial genome.
abstract: The bacterial chromosome seems to be organized in such a way as to allow the formation of tandem gene duplications, which appear under conditions of positive selection for a high level of gene expression. Multiple gene duplications permit the excision of a gene from the chromosome by a Campbell recombinational event and the subsequent transfer of the gene to a resident plasmid. The latter derives an advantage from carrying a gene providing positive selection. Thus, tandem gene duplications could initiate horizontal gene transfer in bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow, USSR.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Sukhodolets
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial