Cargo Genes of Tn7-Like Transposons Comprise an Enormous Diversity of Defense Systems, Mobile Genetic Elements, and Antibiotic Resistance Genes.

ABSTRACT: Transposition is a major mechanism of horizontal gene mobility in prokaryotes. However, exploration of the genes mobilized by transposons (cargo) is hampered by the difficulty in delineating integrated transposons from their surrounding genetic context. Here, we present a computational approach that allowed us to identify the boundaries of 6,549 Tn7-like transposons. We found that 96% of these transposons carry at least one cargo gene. Delineation of distinct communities in a gene-sharing network demonstrates how transposons function as a conduit of genes between phylogenetically distant hosts. Comparative analysis of the cargo genes reveals significant enrichment of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) nested within Tn7-like transposons, such as insertion sequences and toxin-antit

SUBMITTER: Benler S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8649781 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature