title: Complex histories of genes encoding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoenzymeA reductase.
abstract: The mevalonate pathway for the synthesis of isoprenoids can be found in organisms from all domains of life. It has been previously demonstrated that the first gene specific to that pathway, which encodes the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoenzymeA reductase (HMGR), has been transferred between domains by lateral gene transfer on several occasions. Here we look within the domain Bacteria at lateral acquisition of HMGR, whether as a single gene or as part of a mevalonate pathway cluster. We observe a complex history of multiple transfer events probably reflecting the fact that HMGR could be beneficial in a variety of physiological and genetic contexts. We demonstrate that even in Vibrio species, where HMGR is not clustered with other genes to form an operon or a metabolic cluster, it is under strong purifying selection.
authors.affiliation: Genome Atlantic and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. ugophna@dal.ca
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gophna
authors.forename: Janelle R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: W Ford
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Doolittle
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D023061:Gene Order / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal / Q000235:genetics*; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000235:genetics*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases