Question

Genome sequences show that some pathogenic bacteria contain virulence genes that promote disease next to genes that originally came from bacteriophage. Why does this result suggest horizontal gene transfer, and what would the mechanism of transfer have been?

Name: Problem 25, Chapter 14: Genetics: From Genes to Genomes
Uploaded: 2023-01-13T20:41:49-08:00
Channel: Farhan Anwar
Description: Genome sequences show that some pathogenic bacteria contain virulence genes that promote disease next to genes that originally came from bacteriophage. Why does this result suggest horizontal gene transfer, and what would the mechanism of transfer have been?

   Genome sequences show that some pathogenic bacteria contain virulence genes that promote disease next to genes that originally came from bacteriophage. Why does this result suggest horizontal gene transfer, and what would the mechanism of transfer have been?

Genetics: From Genes to Genomes

Leland Hartwell,… 6th Edition

Chapter 14, Problem 25

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Solved by Expert Farhan Anwar

01/13/2023

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This is an unusual arrangement, as these genes are not typically found together. Show more…

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Genome sequences show that some pathogenic bacteria contain virulence genes that promote disease next to genes that originally came from bacteriophage. Why does this result suggest horizontal gene transfer, and what would the mechanism of transfer have been?

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Key Concepts

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Horizontal gene transfer is the process by which organisms acquire genetic material from sources other than their direct ancestors. In bacteria, this allows for the rapid acquisition and dissemination of traits such as antibiotic resistance or virulence factors. The presence of genes originally from bacteriophage within bacterial genomes suggests an exchange of genetic information across different species, rather than inheritance from a common progenitor.

Transduction

Transduction is a specific mechanism of horizontal gene transfer where bacteriophages facilitate the movement of genetic material between bacteria. During the lysogenic cycle, a bacteriophage integrates its DNA into a bacterial genome; errors during prophage excision or specialized transduction can result in the co-transfer of adjacent bacterial genes. This process explains how virulence genes can be acquired from phage sources, enhancing the pathogenic potential of bacteria.

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