title: Reductive evolution suggested from the complete genome sequence of a plant-pathogenic phytoplasma.
abstract: The minimal gene set essential for life has long been sought. We report the 860-kb genome of the obligate intracellular plant pathogen phytoplasma (Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris, OY strain). The phytoplasma genome encodes even fewer metabolic functions than do mycoplasma genomes. It lacks the pentose phosphate cycle and, more unexpectedly, ATP-synthase subunits, which are thought to be essential for life. This may be the result of reductive evolution as a consequence of life as an intracellular parasite in a nutrient-rich environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 202 Bioscience Building, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakizawa
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishigawa
authors.forename: Hee-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arashida
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ugaki
authors.forename: Shigetou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namba
mesh_terms: D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D045582:Phytoplasma / Q000235:genetics*