Highlights of Research Progress
Transfer of Photosynthetic Genes Between Bacteria and Phages
Genes Between Bacteria and Phages Viruses (phages) infecting the oceanic cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus are thought to mediate population sizes and affect the evolutionary paths of their hosts. GTL researchers analyzed genomes from three Prochlorococcus phages: a podovirus and two myoviruses. They appear to be variations of two well-known phages (T4 and T7) but also contain genes common to cyanobacteria that may help maintain host photosynthetic activity during infection by phages. Transferring these genes back to their hosts after a period of evolution in the phage could impact the evolution of both phages and hosts in the surface oceans. Phages in other environments also have been found to carry genes required by their hosts. Researchers hypothesize that these processes may represent a general phenomenon of metabolic facilitation of key host processes that could lead to specialization and possibly speciation. [Penny Chisholm, Massachusetts Institute of Technology]
Reference
D. Lindell et al., “Transfer of Photosynthesis Genes to and from Prochlorococcus Viruses,”Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101, 11013–18 (2004).
