Horizontal Gene Transfer and Its Part in the Reorganisation of Genetics during the LUCA Epoch

Life

关键词: Horizontal gene transfer;    lateral gene transfer;    phylogenetic reconstruction transformation;    transduction;    conjugation;    gene transfer agent (GTA);    membrane vesicle transfer (MVT);    phylogenetic tree of life;    origin of life;    last universal common ancestor (LUCA);   

DOI  :  10.3390/life3040518

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Currently there are five known mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer (HGT): transduction, conjugation, transformation, gene transfer agents and membrane vesicle transfer. The question here is: what part did HGT play in the reorganisation of genetics during the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) epoch? LUCA is a construct to explain the origin of the three domains of life; namely Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. This editorial offers a general introduction to the relevance and ultimate significance of HGT in relation to the LUCA.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.