Bacterial alpha2-macroglobulins: colonization factors acquired by horizontal gene transfer from the metazoan genome?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Invasive bacteria are known to have captured and adapted eukaryotic host genes. They also readily acquire colonizing genes from other bacteria by horizontal gene transfer. Closely related species such as Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter hepaticus, which exploit different host tissues, share almost none of their colonization genes. The protease inhibitor alpha2-macroglobulin provides a major metazoan defense against invasive bacteria, trapping attacking proteases required by parasites for successful invasion.

Results

Database searches with metazoan alpha2-macroglobulin sequences revealed homologous sequences in bacterial proteomes. The bacterial alpha2-macroglobulin phylogenetic distribution is patchy and violates the vertical descent model. Bacterial alpha2-ma

SUBMITTER: Budd A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC463071 | biostudies-literature | 2004

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature