Magnetosome Gene Duplication as an Important Driver in the Evolution of Magnetotaxis in the Alphaproteobacteria

• DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00315-19
• Publication Date: 2019-10-29T11:16:35Z
• Authors: Haijian Du; Wenyan Zhang; Wensi Zhang; Weijia Zhang; Hongmiao Pan; Yongxin Pan; Dennis A. Bazylinski; Long-Fei Wu; Tian Xiao; Wei Lin
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Gene duplication; Magnetosome gene cluster; Evolution; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; [SDV.GEN] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics; magnetotaxis; Microbiology; Magnetotactic bacteria; 03 medical and health sciences; pure cultivation; evolution; Magnetrotaxis; Genomes; [SDV.GEN]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics; gene duplication; Genetics and Genomics; magnetotactic bacteria; QR1-502; [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; magnetosome gene cluster; Pure cultivation; Terasakiella; genomes; Research Article

A diversity of organisms can sense the geomagnetic field for the purpose of navigation. Magnetotactic bacteria are the most primitive magnetism-sensing organisms known thus far and represent an excellent model system for the study of the origin, evolution, and mechanism of microbial magnetoreception (or magnetotaxis). The present study is the first report focused on magnetosome gene cluster duplication in the Alphaproteobacteria , which suggests the important role of gene duplication in the evolution of magnetotaxis in the Alphaproteobacteria and perhaps the domain Bacteria . A novel scenario for the evolution of magnetotaxis in the Alphaproteobacteria is proposed and may provide new insights into evolution of magnetoreception of higher species.