title: Essential genes of a minimal bacterium.
abstract: Mycoplasma genitalium has the smallest genome of any organism that can be grown in pure culture. It has a minimal metabolism and little genomic redundancy. Consequently, its genome is expected to be a close approximation to the minimal set of genes needed to sustain bacterial life. Using global transposon mutagenesis, we isolated and characterized gene disruption mutants for 100 different nonessential protein-coding genes. None of the 43 RNA-coding genes were disrupted. Herein, we identify 382 of the 482 M. genitalium protein-coding genes as essential, plus five sets of disrupted genes that encode proteins with potentially redundant essential functions, such as phosphate transport. Genes encoding proteins of unknown function constitute 28% of the essential protein-coding genes set. Disruption of some genes accelerated M. genitalium growth.
authors.affiliation: Synthetic Biology Group, J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
authors.forename: John I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: Nacyra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Assad-Garcia
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alperovich
authors.forename: Shibu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yooseph
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Mahir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruf
authors.forename: Clyde A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.forename: Hamilton O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J Craig
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Venter
mesh_terms: D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D020043:Genes, Essential / Q000235:genetics*; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium / Q000235:genetics*