Genomic islands and the ecology and evolution of Prochlorococcus
Coleman, M.L.; Sullivan, M.B.; Martiny, A.C.; Steglich, C.; Barry, K.; DeLong, E.F.; Chisholm, S.W. (2006). Genomic islands and the ecology and evolution of Prochlorococcus. Science (Wash.) 311(5768): 1768-1770. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1122050
In: Science (Washington). American Association for the Advancement of Science: New York, N.Y. ISSN 0036-8075; e-ISSN 1095-9203, more
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| Keywords |
Genetic diversity
Genomes
Prochlorococcus S.W.Chisholm, S.L.Frankel, R.Goericke, R.J.Olson, B.Palenik, J.B.Waterbury, L.West-Johnsrud & E.R.Zettler, 1992 [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Coleman, M.L.
- Sullivan, M.B.
- Martiny, A.C.
- Steglich, C.
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- Barry, K.
- DeLong, E.F.
- Chisholm, S.W.
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| Abstract |
Prochlorococcus ecotypes are a useful system for exploring the origin and function of diversity among closely related microbes. The genetic variability between phenotypically distinct strains that differ by less that 1% in 16S ribosomal RNA sequences occurs mostly in genomic islands. Island genes appear to have been acquired in part by phage-mediated lateral gene transfer, and some are differentially expressed under light and nutrient stress. Furthermore, genome fragments directly recovered from ocean ecosystems indicate that these islands are variable among co-occurring Prochlorococcus cells. Genomic islands in this free-living photoautotroph share features with pathogenicity islands of parasitic bacteria, suggesting a general mechanism for niche differentiation in microbial species. |
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