A comprehensive aligned nifH gene database: a multipurpose tool for studies of nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• DOI: 10.1093/database/bau001
• Publication Date: 2014-02-06T06:57:29Z
• Authors: John Christian Gaby; Daniel H. Buckley
• Keywords: Horizontal Gene Transfer

We describe a nitrogenase gene sequence database that facilitates analysis of the evolution and ecology nitrogen-fixing organisms. The contains 32 954 aligned nifH sequences linked to phylogenetic trees associated metadata. includes 185 multigene entries including full-length nifH, nifD, nifK 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences. Evolutionary analyses enabled by support an ancient horizontal transfer genes between Archaea Bacteria provide evidence has different history from nifDK enzyme core. Further show lineages in cluster I III have rates substitution within suggesting nifD is under selection pressure these two lineages. Finally, we find genetic divergence rRNA does not correlate well at dissimilarity values used commonly define microbial species, as stains having <3% their can up 23% nifH. number uses evolutionary analyses, design assessment primers/probes evaluation diversity. Database URL: http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/buckley/nifh.htm