Horizontal DNA transfer from bacteria to eukaryotes and a lesson from experimental transfers.
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is widespread among bacteria and plays a key role in genome dynamics. HGT is much less common in eukaryotes, but is being reported with increasing frequency in eukaryotes. The mechanism as to how eukaryotes acquired genes from distantly related organisms remains obscure yet. This paper cites examples of bacteria-derived genes found in eukaryotic organisms, and then describes experimental DNA transports to eukaryotes by bacterial type 4 secretion systems in optimized conditions. The mechanisms of the latter are efficient, quite reproducible in vitro and predictable, and thereby would provide insight into natural HGT and to the development of new research tools.
Hiroshima University, Graduate School of Science, Japan. Electronic address: ksuzuki@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.
Katsunori
K
Suzuki
Hiroshima University, Graduate School of Science, Japan.
Kazuki
K
Moriguchi
Hiroshima University, Graduate School of Science, Japan.
Shinji
S
Yamamoto
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D010802:Phylogeny; D000069319:Type IV Secretion Systems / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D000069319:Type IV Secretion Systems
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation; Efficient device for genetic modification; Genome dynamics; Lateral gene transfer; Transkingdom transfer phenomenon; Type 4 secretion system