Genome Reduction in the Mosquito Symbiont Asaia.

ABSTRACT: Symbiosis is now recognized as a driving force in evolution, a role that finds its ultimate expression in the variety of associations bonding insects with microbial symbionts. These associations have contributed to the evolutionary success of insects, with the hosts acquiring the capacity to exploit novel ecological niches, and the symbionts passing from facultative associations to obligate, mutualistic symbioses. In bacterial symbiont of insects, the transition from the free-living life style to mutualistic symbiosis often resulted in a reduction in the genome size, with the generation of the smallest bacterial genomes thus far described. Here, we show that the process of genome reduction is still occurring in Asaia, a group of bacterial symbionts associated with a variety of insects. Ind

SUBMITTER: Alonso DP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6317953 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature