title: Horizontal transfer of dehalogenase genes involved in the catalysis of chlorinated compounds: evidence and ecological role.
abstract: Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of dehalogenase genes is considered an important mechanism of genomic evolution, the metabolic resilience of biotopes, and microbial community adaptation in chlorinated compound-contaminated ecosystems. In this review, we summarize the current evidence for the HGT of dehalogenase genes involved in the catalysis of various chlorinated compounds, such as chlorinated alkanes and alkanoic acids, chlorinated ethenes, chlorinated herbicide, and chlorinated aromatics. We also highlight the ecological role of HGT as it relates to the contribution to the diversification of dehalogenating microorganisms and the resulting facilitation of rapid microbial community adaptation to ecosystem contaminated with chlorinated compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Key Lab of Microbiological Engineering of Agricultural Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095 Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jiandong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yanfu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shunpeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001711:Biotransformation; D017753:Ecosystem; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000378:metabolism*; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D006867:Hydrolases