Horizontal Gene Transfer Observed in the Genus Vibrio
Mentor 1
Charles Wimpee
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
27-4-2018 1:00 PM
Description
Horizontal gene transfer has had an enormous impact on the evolution of bacterial genomes. Typically, this event would be detected retrospectively, by incongruent phylogenetic trees or anomalous base composition. In certain cases, horizontal gene transfer can result in the replacement of a resident gene. When this occurs, it is possible that the recipient bacteria will harbor two non-identical copies of the same gene. Our lab has seen multiple examples of this with the luxA gene, strongly indicating ongoing horizontal gene transfer. Merodiploids have been detected by sequence analysis showing multiple occurrences of double peaks in the same position in the gene. Current work involves amplification of the gene with high fidelity Phusion polymerase to preclude the mistakes made by the more error-prone Taq polymerase. Products of the amplification are being cloned and will be sequenced. The results of the sequencing will be presented.
Horizontal Gene Transfer Observed in the Genus Vibrio
Union Wisconsin Room
Horizontal gene transfer has had an enormous impact on the evolution of bacterial genomes. Typically, this event would be detected retrospectively, by incongruent phylogenetic trees or anomalous base composition. In certain cases, horizontal gene transfer can result in the replacement of a resident gene. When this occurs, it is possible that the recipient bacteria will harbor two non-identical copies of the same gene. Our lab has seen multiple examples of this with the luxA gene, strongly indicating ongoing horizontal gene transfer. Merodiploids have been detected by sequence analysis showing multiple occurrences of double peaks in the same position in the gene. Current work involves amplification of the gene with high fidelity Phusion polymerase to preclude the mistakes made by the more error-prone Taq polymerase. Products of the amplification are being cloned and will be sequenced. The results of the sequencing will be presented.
