title: Bacteriophage WO Can Mediate Horizontal Gene Transfer in EndosymbioticWolbachiaGenomes.
abstract: Phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is common in free-living bacteria, and many transferred genes can play a significant role in their new bacterial hosts. However, there are few reports concerning phage-mediated HGT in endosymbionts (obligate intracellular bacteria within animal or plant hosts), such asWolbachia. TheWolbachia-infecting temperate phage WO can actively shift amongWolbachiagenomes and has the potential to mediate HGT betweenWolbachiastrains. In the present study, we extend previous findings by validating that the phage WO can mediate transfer of non-phage genes. To do so, we utilized bioinformatic, phylogenetic, and molecular analyses based on all sequencedWolbachiaand phage WO genomes. Our results show that the phage WO can mediate HGT betweenWolbachiastrains, regardless of whether the transferred genes originate fromWolbachiaor other unrelated bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Guan H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Disease Genomics and Individualized Medicine Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bao F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Tuan L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Hebei University Baoding, China.
authors.forename: Yan K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Murfin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jin H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; College of Life Sciences, Hebei UniversityBaoding, China.
authors.forename: Da W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Huang
keywords: Wolbachia; bacteriophage WO; horizontal gene transfer; obligate intracellular bacteria; transduction