title: Cell evolution: gene transfer agents and the origin of mitochondria.
abstract: Recently, α-proteobacteria have been shown to possess virus-like gene transfer agents that facilitate high frequency gene transfer in natural environments between distantly related lineages. This system could have driven the genomic integration of the mitochondrial progenitor and its proto-eukaryote host and contributed to the evolutionary mosaic of genes seen in modern-day prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK. thomr@nhm.ac.uk
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Archibald
mesh_terms: D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010802:Phylogeny; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements