| Literature DB >> 29068466 |
Abstract
The realization that prokaryotes naturally and frequently disperse genes across steep taxonomic boundaries via lateral gene transfer (LGT) gave wings to the idea that eukaryotes might do the same. Eukaryotes do acquire genes from mitochondria and plastids and they do transfer genes during the process of secondary endosymbiosis, the spread of plastids via eukaryotic algal endosymbionts. From those observations it, however, does not follow that eukaryotes transfer genes either in the same ways as prokaryotes do, or to a quantitatively similar degree. An important illustration of the difference is that eukaryotes do not exhibit pangenomes, though prokaryotes do. Eukaryotes reveal no detectable cumulative effects of LGT, though prokaryotes do. A critical analysis suggests that something is deeply amiss with eukaryote LGT theories.Keywords: Lamarckian evolution; genome analysis; horizontal gene transfer; lateral gene transfer; phylogenetic artefact
Mesh:
Year: 2017 PMID: 29068466 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201700115
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Bioessays ISSN: 0265-9247 Impact factor: 4.345