Next Article in Journal
Real-Time PCR in Food Science: Introduction
Previous Article in Journal
MicroRNAs: Synthesis, Gene Regulation and Osteoblast Differentiation
 
 
Current Issues in Molecular Biology is published by MDPI from Volume 43 Issue 1 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher in Open Access under a CC-BY (or CC-BY-NC-ND) licence, and they are hosted by MDPI on mdpi.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Caister Press.
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Review

Genome DNA Sequence Variation, Evolution, and Function in Bacteria and Archaea

Agricultural Bioinformatics Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2013, 15(1), 19-24; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.015.019
Submission received: 3 January 2012 / Revised: 5 March 2012 / Accepted: 8 May 2012 / Published: 6 July 2012

Abstract

Comparative genomics has revealed that variations in bacterial and archaeal genome DNA sequences cannot be explained by only neutral mutations. Virus resistance and plasmid distribution systems have resulted in changes in bacterial and archaeal genome sequences during evolution. The restriction-modification system, a virus resistance system, leads to avoidance of palindromic DNA sequences in genomes. Clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) found in genomes represent yet another virus resistance system. Comparative genomics has shown that bacteria and archaea have failed to gain any DNA with GC content higher than the GC content of their chromosomes. Thus, horizontally transferred DNA regions have lower GC content than the host chromosomal DNA does. Some nucleoid-associated proteins bind DNA regions with low GC content and inhibit the expression of genes contained in those regions. This form of gene repression is another type of virus resistance system. On the other hand, bacteria and archaea have used plasmids to gain additional genes. Virus resistance systems influence plasmid distribution. Interestingly, the restriction-modification system and nucleoid-associated protein genes have been distributed via plasmids. Thus, GC content and genomic signatures do not reflect bacterial and archaeal evolutionary relationships.
Keywords: comparative genomics; archaeal genome DNA; virus resistance; plasmid distribution systems; archaeal genome sequences; evolution comparative genomics; archaeal genome DNA; virus resistance; plasmid distribution systems; archaeal genome sequences; evolution

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Nishida, H. Genome DNA Sequence Variation, Evolution, and Function in Bacteria and Archaea. Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2013, 15, 19-24. https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.015.019

AMA Style

Nishida H. Genome DNA Sequence Variation, Evolution, and Function in Bacteria and Archaea. Current Issues in Molecular Biology. 2013; 15(1):19-24. https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.015.019

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nishida, Hiromi. 2013. "Genome DNA Sequence Variation, Evolution, and Function in Bacteria and Archaea" Current Issues in Molecular Biology 15, no. 1: 19-24. https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.015.019

APA Style

Nishida, H. (2013). Genome DNA Sequence Variation, Evolution, and Function in Bacteria and Archaea. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 15(1), 19-24. https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.015.019

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop