Lateral gene transfer of an ABC transporter complex between major constituents of the human gut microbiome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several links have been established between the human gut microbiome and conditions such as obesity and inflammatory bowel syndrome. This highlights the importance of understanding what properties of the gut microbiome can affect the health of the human host. Studies have been undertaken to determine the species composition of this microbiome and infer functional profiles associated with such host properties. However, lateral gene transfer (LGT) between community members may result in misleading taxonomic attributions for the recipient organisms, thus making species-function links difficult to establish.

Results

We identified a peptides/nickel transport complex whose components differed in abundance based upon levels of host obesity, and assigned the encoded prote

SUBMITTER: Meehan CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3534369 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature