RRC ID 89682
Author Tamura N, Oda-Ishii I, Satou Y.
Title Unique Tunicate Traits Possibly Encoded by Horizontally Transferred Genes.
Journal Genome Biol Evol
Abstract While horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is common among prokaryotes, its prevalence and impact among metazoans are debatable. A clear example of HGT in animals is the cellulose synthase gene in tunicates, invertebrate chordates that possess the unique ability to produce a cellulose-containing tunic, despite sharing a conserved larval body plan with vertebrates. To investigate evolutionary roles of HGT in animals, we surveyed the genome of a tunicate and identified eight groups of candidate genes that are unlikely to have been vertically transferred. Notably, these candidates encode proteins potentially associated with physiological and structural features unique to tunicates, suggesting that integration of foreign genetic material has contributed to emergence of adaptive traits unique to the tunicate lineage.
Volume 18(7)
Published 2026-7-1
DOI 10.1093/gbe/evag170
PII 8728286
PMID 42417524
PMC PMC13390645
MeSH Animals Evolution, Molecular Gene Transfer, Horizontal* Glucosyltransferases / genetics Phylogeny Urochordata* / genetics
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The most frequently cited source Bluesky
Total number of mentions 7
Altmetric score changes over past 6months 5.5
Resource
C.intestinalis / (O.japonicus) Wild C. int