The cyanobacterial endosymbiont of the unicellular algae Rhopalodia gibba shows reductive genome evolution.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacteria occur in facultative association and intracellular symbiosis with a diversity of eukaryotic hosts. Recently, we have helped to characterise an intracellular nitrogen fixing bacterium, the so-called spheroid body, located within the diatom Rhopalodia gibba. Spheroid bodies are of cyanobacterial origin and exhibit features that suggest physiological adaptation to their intracellular life style. To investigate the genome modifications that have accompanied the process of endosymbiosis, here we compare gene structure, content and organisation in spheroid body and cyanobacterial genomes.

Results

Comparison of the spheroid body's genome sequence with corresponding regions of near free-living relatives indicates that multiple modifications have occurred in the e

SUBMITTER: Kneip C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2246100 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature