Prevalence and Evolutionary Implications of Genome Rearrangements in Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: The genetic material of bacteria and archaea is organized into various structures and setups, attesting that genome architecture is dynamic in these organisms. However, strong selective pressures are also acting to preserve genome organization, and it remains unclear how frequently genomes experience rearrangements and what mechanisms lead to these processes. Here, we assessed the dynamics and the drivers of genomic rearrangements across 121 microbial species. We show that synteny is highly conserved within most species, although several species present exceptionally flexible genomic layouts. Our results show that genomic rearrangements occur at a variable pace across bacteria and archaea, pointing to different selective constraints driving the accumulation of genomic changes across specie

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Gutierrez CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12863080 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature