Lateral gene transfer in eukaryotes: tip of the iceberg or of the ice cube?

Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is the transmission of genes, sometimes across species barriers, outwith the classic vertical inheritance from parent to offspring. LGT is recognized as an important phenomenon that has shaped the genomes and biology of prokaryotes. Whether LGT in eukaryotes is important...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Danchin, Etienne G. J.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: BioMed Central 2016
Materias:
Commentary
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5116166/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27863503
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12915-016-0330-x
Descripción
Sumario:Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is the transmission of genes, sometimes across species barriers, outwith the classic vertical inheritance from parent to offspring. LGT is recognized as an important phenomenon that has shaped the genomes and biology of prokaryotes. Whether LGT in eukaryotes is important and widespread remains controversial. A study in BMC Biology concludes that LGT in eukaryotes is neither continuous nor prevalent and suggests a rule of thumb for judging when apparent LGT may reflect contamination. See research article: http://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-016-0315-9.

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