title: Symbiont genes in host genomes: fragments with a future?
abstract: While lateral transfer is the rule in the evolutionary history of bacterial and archaeal genes, events of transfer from prokaryotes to eukaryotes are rare. Germline-transmitted animal symbionts, such as Wolbachia pipientis, are well placed to participate in such transfers. In a recent issue of Science, Dunning Hotopp et al. identified instances of transfer of Wolbachia DNA to host genomes. It is unknown whether these transfers represent innovation in animal evolution.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Ashworth Laboratories, King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 3JT, UK. mark.blaxter@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blaxter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D009348:Nematoda / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000469:parasitology; D013559:Symbiosis; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000502:physiology*