In vivo function and comparative genomic analyses of the Drosophila gut microbiota identify candidate symbiosis factors.

ABSTRACT: Symbiosis is often characterized by co-evolutionary changes in the genomes of the partners involved. An understanding of these changes can provide insight into the nature of the relationship, including the mechanisms that initiate and maintain an association between organisms. In this study we examined the genome sequences of bacteria isolated from the Drosophila melanogaster gut with the objective of identifying genes that are important for function in the host. We compared microbiota isolates with con-specific or closely related bacterial species isolated from non-fly environments. First the phenotype of germ-free Drosophila (axenic flies) was compared to that of flies colonized with specific bacteria (gnotobiotic flies) as a measure of symbiotic function. Non-fly isolates were functiona

SUBMITTER: Newell PD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4219406 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature