title: Comparative Genomic Analysis Reveals Organization, Function and Evolution ofarsGenes inPantoeaspp.
abstract: Numerous genes are involved in various strategies to resist toxic arsenic (As). However, the As resistance strategy in genusPantoeais poorly understood. In this study, a comparative genome analysis of 23Pantoeagenomes was conducted. Two vertical geneticarsC-like genes without any contribution to As resistance were found to exist in the 23Pantoeastrains. Besides the twoarsC-like genes, As resistance gene clustersarsRBCorarsRBCHwere found in 15Pantoeagenomes. Thesearsclusters were found to be acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from sources related toFranconibacter helveticus, Serratia marcescens, andCitrobacter freundii. During the history of evolution, thearsclusters were acquired more than once in some species, and were lost in some strains, producing strains without As resistance capability. This study revealed the organization, distribution and the complex evolutionary history of As resistance genes inPantoeaspp.. The insights gained in this study improved our understanding on the As resistance strategy ofPantoeaspp. and its roles in the biogeochemical cycling of As.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Chuanyong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jing
keywords: Pantoea spp.; ars genes; arsenic; arsenic resistance; comparative genomic