title: Extreme reduction and compaction of microsporidian genomes.
abstract: Microsporidia are fungi-related obligate intracellular parasites with a highly reduced and compact genome, as for Encephalitozoon species which harbor a genome smaller than 3 Mbp. Genome compaction is reflected by high gene density and, for larger microsporidian genomes, size variation is due to repeat elements that do not drastically affect gene density. Furthermore, these pathogens present strong host dependency illustrated by extensive gene loss. Such adaptations associated with genome compaction induced gene size reduction but also simplification of cellular processes such as transcription. Thus, microsporidia are excellent models for eukaryotic genome evolution and gene expression in the context of host-pathogen relationships.
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, Laboratoire Microorganismes Génome et Environnement, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France. erpeyret@iut.u-clermont1.fr
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peyretaillade
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El Alaoui
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diogon
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Polonais
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parisot
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Biron
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peyret
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delbac
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016681:Genome, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D014158:Transcription, Genetic