Comparative genomics of Mycoplasma: analysis of conserved essential genes and diversity of the pan-genome.

ABSTRACT: Mycoplasma, the smallest self-replicating organism with a minimal metabolism and little genomic redundancy, is expected to be a close approximation to the minimal set of genes needed to sustain bacterial life. This study employs comparative evolutionary analysis of twenty Mycoplasma genomes to gain an improved understanding of essential genes. By analyzing the core genome of mycoplasmas, we finally revealed the conserved essential genes set for mycoplasma survival. Further analysis showed that the core genome set has many characteristics in common with experimentally identified essential genes. Several key genes, which are related to DNA replication and repair and can be disrupted in transposon mutagenesis studies, may be critical for bacteria survival especially over long period natural s

SUBMITTER: Liu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3335003 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature