Gene Transfer and Diversification of Microbial Eukaryotes

• Published in: Annual review of microbiology Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 177 - 193
• Main Author: ANDERSSON, Jan O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto, CA Annual Reviews 01-01-2009; Annual Reviews, Inc
• Subjects: adaptation; algae; Biodiversity; Biologi; Biological and medical sciences; Biology; Cluster Analysis; comparative genomics; Eukaryotes; Eukaryotic Cells - physiology; Evolution, Molecular; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gene acquisition; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Genes; Genomics; horizontal gene transfer; Microbiology; NATURAL SCIENCES; NATURVETENSKAP; Phylogeny; protist; Gene; Algae; Genomics; protist; gene acquisition; Review; horizontal gene transfer; comparative genomics; Adaptation; Genetic transfer
• ISSN: 0066-4227; 1545-3251; 1545-3251
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.micro.091208.073203

The importance of lateral gene transfer in genome evolution of microbial eukaryotes is slowly being appreciated. Acquisitions of genes have led to metabolic adaptation in diverse eukaryotic lineages. In most cases the metabolic genes have originated from prokaryotes, often followed by sequential transfers between eukaryotes. However, the knowledge of gene transfer in eukaryotes is still mainly based on anecdotal evidence. Some of the observed patterns may be biases in experimental approaches and sequence databases rather than evolutionary trends. Rigorous systematic studies of gene acquisitions that allow for the possibility of exchanges of all categories of genes from all sources are needed to get a more objective view of gene transfer in eukaryote evolution. It may be that the role of gene transfer in the diversification process of microbial eukaryotes currently is underestimated.