Discovery of integrons in Archaea: Platforms for cross-domain gene transfer.

ABSTRACT: Horizontal gene transfer between different domains of life is increasingly being recognized as an important evolutionary driver, with the potential to increase the pace of biochemical innovation and environmental adaptation. However, the mechanisms underlying the recruitment of exogenous genes from foreign domains are mostly unknown. Integrons are a family of genetic elements that facilitate this process within Bacteria. However, they have not been reported outside Bacteria, and thus their potential role in cross-domain gene transfer has not been investigated. Here, we discover that integrons are also present in 75 archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes from nine phyla, and are particularly enriched among Asgard archaea. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence that integrons can facil

SUBMITTER: Ghaly TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9668308 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature