Lateral gene transfer (LGT) between Archaea and Escherichia coli is a contributor to the emergence of novel infectious disease.
BACKGROUND
Lateral gene transfer is the major mechanism for acquisition of new virulence genes in pathogens. Recent whole genome analyses have suggested massive gene transfer between widely divergent organisms.


OBJECTIVE
Archeal-like genes acting as virulence genes are present in several pathogens and genomes contain a number of archaeal-like genes of unknown function. Archaea, by virtue of their very different evolutionary history and different environment, provide a pool of potential virulence genes to bacterial pathogens.


METHODS
We can test this hypothesis by 1)identifying genes likely to have been transferred (directly or indirectly) to E. coli O157:H7 from archaea; 2)investigating the distribution of similar genes in pathogens and non-pathogens and 3)performing rigorous phylogenetic analyses on putative transfers.


CONCLUSIONS
Although this hypothesis focuses on archaea and E. coli, it will serve as a model having broad applicability to a number of pathogenic systems. Since no archaea are known vertebrate pathogens, archaeal-like transferred genes that are associated with virulence in bacteria represent a clear model for the emergence of virulence genes.
Faguy
David M
DM
Dept of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. dfaguy@unm.edu
D001105:Archaea / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics