title: Genome size in bacteria.
abstract: This manuscript examines genome size in bacteria. The opposing capability of bacteria to alter their genome sizes and order of genes within limits yet remain somewhat constant provides a mechanisms for diversity and evolution in bacterial populations. Bacteria may have evolved by increasing their genome size and changing gene orders with the assistance of restriction endonucleases cleaving foreign DNA and providing a diverse pool of DNA sequences for recombination. These aspects and selected information on physically mapping bacterial genomes will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. jtrevors@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Trevors
mesh_terms: D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010316:Particle Size; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes