title: Contribution of lateral gene transfer to the gene repertoire of a gut-adapted methanogen.
abstract: Methanobrevibacter smithii is the most abundant archaeon in the human colon. As most of its neighbors are bacterial species, it is expected that lateral gene acquisition from bacteria might have contributed to the evolution and adaptation of this archaeon. We performed a tree-based genome-wide survey of putative lateral gene transfer products in M. smithii, using a phylogenetic pipeline. Over 15% of the coding genes of M. smithii are inferred to be bacterial in origin, based on this analysis. Laterally acquired genes have had the largest contribution to surface functions, and encode glycosyl-transferases and adhesin-like proteins. In addition, several important ABC transporters, especially metal transporters are of bacterial origin. Thus, bacterial genes contributed to the host-adaptation by allowing a larger variety of surface structures and increasing the efficiency of metal ion uptake in the competitive gut niche.
authors: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors: Mor N
authors: MN
authors: Lurie-Weinberger
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Peeri
authors: Uri
authors: U
authors: Gophna
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D019766:Genes, Archaeal; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D041581:Methanobrevibacter / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D016695:Glycosyltransferases