Altered patterns of gene duplication and differential gene gain and loss in fungal pathogens.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Duplication, followed by fixation or random loss of novel genes, contributes to genome evolution. Particular outcomes of duplication events are possibly associated with pathogenic life histories in fungi. To date, differential gene gain and loss have not been studied at genomic scales in fungal pathogens, despite this phenomenon's known importance in virulence in bacteria and viruses.

Results

To determine if patterns of gene duplication differed between pathogens and non-pathogens, we identified gene families across nine euascomycete and two basidiomycete species. Gene family size distributions were fit to power laws to compare gene duplication trends in pathogens versus non-pathogens. Fungal phytopathogens showed globally altered patterns of gene duplication, as

SUBMITTER: Powell AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2330156 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature