High Frequency of Horizontal Gene Transfer in the Oceans
High Frequency of Horizontal Gene Transfer in the Oceans
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DOI：
10.1126/science.1192243
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发表时间：
2010-10-01
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Paul, John H.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
McDaniel, Lauren D.;Young, Elizabeth;Paul, John H.
海洋细菌具有许多环境功能，包括许多元素的生物地球化学循环，温室气体的代谢，在海洋食物网（微生物环）中发挥作用，以及产生有价值的天然产物和病毒。我们证明了海洋细菌在沿海和海洋环境中参与水平基因转移（HGT）的广泛能力可能是α-变形菌产生的基因转移剂（GTA），病毒样颗粒的结果。我们记录了GTA介导的基因转移频率比海洋中HGT的先前估计高出1000到1000万倍，高达47%的可培养天然微生物群落被确认为基因受体。这些发现表明了一种合理的机制，海洋细菌通过这种机制获得了新的特征，从而确保了面对环境变化的适应能力。
Oceanic bacteria perform many environmental functions, including biogeochemical cycling of many elements, metabolizing of greenhouse gases, functioning in oceanic food webs (microbial loop), and producing valuable natural products and viruses. We demonstrate that the widespread capability of marine bacteria to participate in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in coastal and oceanic environments may be the result of gene transfer agents (GTAs), viral-like particles produced by α-Proteobacteria. We documented GTA-mediated gene transfer frequencies a thousand to a hundred million times higher than prior estimates of HGT in the oceans, with as high as 47% of the culturable natural microbial community confirmed as gene recipients. These findings suggest a plausible mechanism by which marine bacteria acquire novel traits, thus ensuring resilience in the face of environmental change.