Recurrent horizontal transfer of bacterial toxin genes to eukaryotes.

ABSTRACT: In this work, we report likely recurrent horizontal (lateral) gene transfer events of genes encoding pore-forming toxins of the aerolysin family between species belonging to different kingdoms of life. Clustering based on pairwise similarity and phylogenetic analysis revealed several distinct aerolysin sequence groups, each containing proteins from multiple kingdoms of life. These results strongly support at least six independent transfer events between distantly related phyla in the evolutionary history of one protein family and discount selective retention of ancestral genes as a plausible explanation for this patchy phylogenetic distribution. We discuss the possible roles of these proteins and show evidence for a convergent new function in two extant species. We hypothesize that certain

SUBMITTER: Moran Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3424411 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature