Horizontal gene transfer is more frequent with increased heterotrophy and contributes to parasite adaptation.

ABSTRACT: Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the transfer of genetic material across species boundaries and has been a driving force in prokaryotic evolution. HGT involving eukaryotes appears to be much less frequent, and the functional implications of HGT in eukaryotes are poorly understood. We test the hypothesis that parasitic plants, because of their intimate feeding contacts with host plant tissues, are especially prone to horizontal gene acquisition. We sought evidence of HGTs in transcriptomes of three parasitic members of Orobanchaceae, a plant family containing species spanning the full spectrum of parasitic capabilities, plus the free-living Lindenbergia Following initial phylogenetic detection and an extensive validation procedure, 52 high-confidence horizontal transfer events were

SUBMITTER: Yang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5111717 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature