Toft Christina, Fares Mario A
Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
Bioinformatics. 2006 Jul 1;22(13):1551-61. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btl139. Epub 2006 Apr 6.
Establishment of intra-cellular life involved a profound re-configuration of the genetic characteristics of bacteria, including genome reduction and rearrangements. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these phenomena will shed light on the genome rearrangements essential for the development of an intra-cellular lifestyle. Comparison of genomes with differences in their sizes poses statistical as well as computational problems. Little efforts have been made to develop flexible computational tools with which to analyse genome reduction and rearrangements.
Investigation of genome reduction and rearrangements in endosymbionts using a novel computational tool (GRAST) identified gathering of genes with similar functions. Conserved clusters of functionally related genes (CGSCs) were detected. Heterogeneous gene and gene cluster non-functionalization/loss are identified between genome regions, functional gene categories and during evolution. Results show that gene non-functionalisation has accelerated during the last 50 MY of Buchnera's evolution while CGSCs have been static.
细胞内生存方式的建立涉及细菌遗传特征的深刻重新配置，包括基因组缩减和重排。了解这些现象背后的机制将有助于揭示细胞内生存方式发展所必需的基因组重排。比较大小不同的基因组会带来统计学和计算方面的问题。在开发用于分析基因组缩减和重排的灵活计算工具方面所做的工作很少。
使用一种新型计算工具（GRAST）对共生菌中的基因组缩减和重排进行研究，发现了功能相似的基因聚集现象。检测到了功能相关基因的保守簇（CGSCs）。在基因组区域、功能基因类别之间以及进化过程中，鉴定出了异质基因和基因簇的非功能化/丢失现象。结果表明，在布赫纳氏菌进化的最后5000万年中，基因非功能化加速，而CGSCs一直保持稳定。
