Open AccessChromosome Stability and Gene Loss in Cockroach Endosymbionts
Author(s) -
Zakee L. Sabree,
Patrick H. Degnan,
Nancy A. Moran
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.00291-10
Subject(s) - biology , gene , genome , genetics , cockroach , chromosome , evolutionary biology , gene duplication , ecology
Insect endosymbiont genomes reflect massive gene loss. TwoBlattabacterium genomes display colinearity and similar gene contents, despite high orthologous gene divergence, reflecting over 140 million years of independent evolution in separate cockroach lineages. We speculate that distant homologs may replace the functions of some eliminated genes through broadened substrate specificity.