Chromosome architecture constrains horizontal gene transfer in bacteria

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007421
• Publication Date: 2018-05-29T13:37:30Z
• Authors: Heather L. Hendri...; Dominique Barbeau; Robin Ceschin; Jeffrey G. Lawrence
• Keywords: Horizontal Gene Transfer; Bacterial genome size

Despite significant frequencies of lateral gene transfer between species, higher taxonomic groups bacteria show ecological and phenotypic cohesion. This suggests that barriers prevent panmictic dissemination genes via transfer. We have proposed most bacterial genomes a functional architecture imposed by Architecture IMparting Sequences (AIMS). AIMS are defined as 8 base pair sequences preferentially abundant on leading strands, whose abundance strand-bias positively correlated with proximity to the replication terminus. determined inversions endpoints lie within single chromosome arm, which would reverse polarity in inverted region, both shorter less frequent near distribution is consistent increased selection function this thus constraining DNA rearrangement. To test hypothesis also constrain genomes, were identified while ignoring atypical, potentially laterally-transferred genes. The recently acquired was negatively distance those from their genome's for prevents acquisition not found predominantly permissive orientation. constraint has led loss at least 18% terminus-proximal region. used completely sequenced produce predictive road map paths expected horizontal species based compatibility donor recipient genomes. These results support model whereby organisms retain introgressed only if benefits conferred encoded functions outweigh detriments incurred presence foreign lacking genome-wide architectural information.