Gene Transfer in Eukaryotic Cells Using Activated Dendrimers

2003 ◽  
pp. 227-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Dennig
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells

Type III Secretion: More Systems Than You Think

Physiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 326-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Troisfontaines ◽  
Guy R. Cornelis
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Type Iii Secretion ◽  
Plant Cells ◽  
Effector Proteins ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
Target Animal

The type III secretion (T3S) pathway allows bacteria to inject effector proteins into the cytosol of target animal or plant cells. T3S systems evolved into seven families that were distributed among Gram-negative bacteria by horizontal gene transfer. There are probably a few hundred effectors interfering with control and signaling in eukaryotic cells and offering a wealth of new tools to cell biologists.

Phylogenetic Analyses of Plastid-Originated Proteins Imply Universal Endosymbiosis in Ancestors of Animals and Fungi

2008 ◽  
Vol 63 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 903-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Yuan ◽  
Jian-Hua Guo ◽  
Jun-Bo Du ◽  
Hong-Hui Lin
Keyword(s):  
Organic Compound ◽  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Subcellular Structure ◽  
Eukaryotic Genomes

Abstract We searched and analyzed cyanobacteria-originated metazoa/fungi proteins (COPs) by phylogenetic analyses. Analysis of them showed that for millions of years universal plastid endosymbiosis and gene transfer occurred in ancestors of metazoa/fungi, and some transferred fragments have been reserved until now even in modern mammals. Most eukaryotes contained plastids in the ancient era, and some of them lost them later. Functions of homologues in cyanobacterial genomes and eukaryotic genomes are in consensus, and most are involved in the organic compound metabolism. With emergence of organelles and subcellular structure in eukaryotic cells, the locations of these proteins diversified. Furthermore, some novel functions were endowed for COPs, especially in vertebrates.

scholarly journals Prototypic SNARE proteins are encoded in the genomes of Heimdallarchaeota, potentially bridging the gap between the prokaryotes and eukaryotes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie Neveu ◽  
Dany Khalifeh ◽  
Nicolas Salamin ◽  
Dirk Fasshauer
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Eukaryotic Cell ◽  
Snare Proteins ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Endomembrane System ◽  
Intracellular Space ◽  
Sensitive Factor ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Material Exchange

AbstractA defining feature of eukaryotic cells is the presence of numerous membrane-bound organelles that subdivide the intracellular space into distinct compartments. How the eukaryotic cell acquired its internal complexity is still poorly understood. Material exchange among most organelles occurs via vesicles that bud off from a source and specifically fuse with a target compartment. Central players in the vesicle fusion process are the Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor Attachment protein REceptor (SNARE) proteins. These small tail-anchored (TA) membrane proteins zipper into elongated four-helix bundles that pull membranes together1–3. SNARE proteins are highly conserved among eukaryotes but are thought to be absent in prokaryotes. Here, we identified SNARE-like factors in the genomes of uncultured organisms of Asgard archaea of the Heimdallarchaeota clade4,5, which are thought to be the closest living relatives of eukaryotes. Biochemical experiments show that the archaeal SNARE-like proteins can interact with eukaryotic SNARE proteins. We did not detect SNAREs in α-proteobacteria, the closest relatives of mitochondria, but identified several genes encoding for SNARE proteins in γ-proteobacteria of the order Legionellales, pathogens that live inside eukaryotic cells. Very probably, their SNAREs stem from lateral gene transfer from eukaryotes. Together, this suggests that the diverse set of eukaryotic SNAREs evolved from an archaeal precursor. However, whether Heimdallarchaeota actually have a simplified endomembrane system will only be seen when we succeed studying these organisms under the microscope.

scholarly journals Horizontal transfer of microbial toxin genes to gall midge genomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten I. Verster ◽  
Rebecca L. Tarnopol ◽  
Saron M. Akalu ◽  
Noah K. Whiteman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Transfer ◽  
Acyrthosiphon Pisum ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Toxin Gene ◽  
Toxin Genes ◽  
Nuclear Genomes ◽  
Secondary Endosymbiont

AbstractA growing body of evidence points to a role for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in the evolution of animal novelties. Previously, we discovered the horizontal transfer of the gene encoding the eukaryotic genotoxin cytolethal distending toxin B (CdtB) from the Acyrthosiphon pisum Secondary Endosymbiont (APSE) bacteriophage to drosophilid and aphid genomes. Here, we report that cdtB is also found in the nuclear genome of the gall-forming ‘swede midge’ Contarinia nasturtii (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). We subsequently searched genome sequences of all available cecidomyiid species for evidence of microbe-to-insect HGT events. We found evidence of pervasive transfer of APSE-like toxin genes to cecidomyiid nuclear genomes. Many of the toxins encoded by these horizontally transferred genes target eukaryotic cells, rather than prokaryotes. In insects, catalytic residues important for toxin function are conserved. Phylogenetic analyses of HGT candidates indicated APSE phages were often not the ancestral donor of the toxin gene to cecidomyiid genomes, suggesting a broader pool of microbial donor lineages. We used a phylogenetic signal statistic to test a transfer-by-proximity hypothesis for HGT, which showed, that prokaryotic-to-insect HGT was more likely to occur between taxa in common environments. Our study highlights the horizontal transfer of genes encoding a new functional class of proteins in insects, toxins that target eukaryotic cells, which is potentially important in mediating interactions with eukaryotic pathogens and parasites.Significance StatementThe diversity of genes encoded by phages infecting bacterial symbionts of eukaryotes represents an enormous, relatively unexplored pool of new eukaryotic genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). In this study, we discovered pervasive HGT of toxin genes encoded by Acyrthosiphon pisum secondary endosymbiont (APSE) bacteriophages and other microbes to the nuclear genomes of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). We found five toxin genes were transferred horizontally from phage, bacteria, or fungi into genomes of several cecidomyiid species. These genes were aip56, cdtB, lysozyme, rhs, and sltxB. Most of the toxins encoded by these genes antagonize eukaryotic cells, and we posit that they may play a protective role in the insect immune system.

scholarly journals Frequent, independent transfers of a catabolic gene from bacteria to contrasted filamentous eukaryotes

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1789) ◽  
pp. 20140848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Bruto ◽  
Claire Prigent-Combaret ◽  
Patricia Luis ◽  
Yvan Moënne-Loccoz ◽  
Daniel Muller
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Phylogenomic Analysis ◽  
Catabolic Gene ◽  
Bacterial Phyla ◽  
Bacterial Origin ◽  
History Of ◽  
Complex Evolutionary History

Even genetically distant prokaryotes can exchange genes between them, and these horizontal gene transfer events play a central role in adaptation and evolution. While this was long thought to be restricted to prokaryotes, certain eukaryotes have acquired genes of bacterial origin. However, gene acquisitions in eukaryotes are thought to be much less important in magnitude than in prokaryotes. Here, we describe the complex evolutionary history of a bacterial catabolic gene that has been transferred repeatedly from different bacterial phyla to stramenopiles and fungi. Indeed, phylogenomic analysis pointed to multiple acquisitions of the gene in these filamentous eukaryotes—as many as 15 different events for 65 microeukaryotes. Furthermore, once transferred, this gene acquired introns and was found expressed in mRNA databases for most recipients. Our results show that effective inter-domain transfers and subsequent adaptation of a prokaryotic gene in eukaryotic cells can happen at an unprecedented magnitude.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document