{"title":"Gene transfer agents: structural and functional properties of domesticated viruses.","authors":"Matthew W Craske, Jason S Wilson, Paul C M Fogg","doi":"10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.002","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Horizontal exchange of DNA between bacteria and archaea is prevalent and has major potential implications for genome evolution, plasticity, and population fitness. Several transfer mechanisms have been identified, including gene transfer agents (GTAs). GTAs are intricately regulated domesticated viruses that package host DNA into virus-like capsids and transfer this DNA throughout the bacterial community. Several important advances have recently been made in our understanding of these unusual particles. In this review, we highlight some of these findings, primarily for the model GTA produced by Rhodobacter capsulatus but also for newly identified GTA producers. We provide key insights into these important genetic elements, including the differences between GTAs from their ancestral bacteriophages, their regulation and control, and their elusive evolutionary function.</p>","PeriodicalId":23275,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Microbiology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":14.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Trends in Microbiology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.002","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Horizontal exchange of DNA between bacteria and archaea is prevalent and has major potential implications for genome evolution, plasticity, and population fitness. Several transfer mechanisms have been identified, including gene transfer agents (GTAs). GTAs are intricately regulated domesticated viruses that package host DNA into virus-like capsids and transfer this DNA throughout the bacterial community. Several important advances have recently been made in our understanding of these unusual particles. In this review, we highlight some of these findings, primarily for the model GTA produced by Rhodobacter capsulatus but also for newly identified GTA producers. We provide key insights into these important genetic elements, including the differences between GTAs from their ancestral bacteriophages, their regulation and control, and their elusive evolutionary function.
期刊介绍:
Trends in Microbiology serves as a comprehensive, multidisciplinary forum for discussing various aspects of microbiology, spanning cell biology, immunology, genetics, evolution, virology, bacteriology, protozoology, and mycology. In the rapidly evolving field of microbiology, technological advancements, especially in genome sequencing, impact prokaryote biology from pathogens to extremophiles, influencing developments in drugs, vaccines, and industrial enzyme research.