Horizontal Gene Transfer, 1st ed. 2019
Breaking Borders Between Living Kingdoms

The book focuses on the evolutionary impact of horizontal gene transfer processes on pathogenicity, environmental adaptation and biological speciation. Newly acquired genetic material has been considered as a driving force in evolution for prokaryotic genomes for many years, with recent technical developments advancing this field further. However, the extent and implications of gene transfer between prokaryotes and eukaryotes still raise controversies.

This multi-authored volume introduces various means by which DNA can be exchanged, covers gene transfer between prokaryotes and their viruses as well as between bacteria and eukaryotes, such as fungi, plants and animals, and addresses the role of horizontal gene transfer in human diseases. Aspects discussed also include the relevance for virulence and drug resistance development on one hand, and for the occurrence of naturally derived antibiotics and other secondary metabolites on the other hand.  

This book offers new insights to anyone interested in genome evolution and the exchange of DNA between the different domains of life, the genetic toolkit for adaptation and the emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria.

Section I: Horizontal gene transfer among bacteria and bacteriophages

1.        

T.G. Villa, L. Feijoo , A. Sánchez-Pérez, J.L. Rama and C. Sieiro

2.        

Alternative ways to exchange DNA: unconventional conjugation among bacteria  

Alba Blesa& José Berenguer

3.        

Horizontal gene transfer between bacteriophages and bacteria: Antibiotic resistances and toxin production

T.G. Villa, L. Feijoo, J. L Rama, A. Sánchez-Pérezand M. Viñas

4.       Genomic islands and the evolution of multidrug-resistant bacteria Mario Juhas

5.       Horizontal gene transfer and genome evolution in the phylum Actinobacteria - Cooper J. Park, Joshua T. Smith, Cheryl P. Andam

6.       Photobacterium damselae: How horizontal gene transfer shaped two different pathogenic lifestyles in a marine bacterium Carlos R. Osorio

Section II: Horizontal gene transfer between bacteria and animals, plants, amoeba and fungi

7.       Horizontal gene transfer in Metazoa: Examples and Methods

Yuki Yoshida, Reuben W Nowell , Kazuharu Arakawa, Mark Blaxter

8.       Horizontal gene transfer between Wolbachia and animals- Trinidad de Miguel, Oude Zhu and Tomás G. Villa

9.       Horizontal gene transfer in obligate parasites

J.M. Ageitos, M. Viñas and T.G. Villa

10.   Association between Horizontal gene transfer and Adaptation of gastric human pathogen Helicobacter pylori to host Nageswara Rao Reddy Neelapu

11.   The  Rhizobiaceae bacteria transferring genes to higher plants Martha-Helena Ramírez-Bahena, Alvaro Peix, Encarna Velázquez

12.   Role of horizontal gene transfer in evolution of plant genome Nageswara Rao Reddy Neelapu, Titash Dutta and ChallaSurekha

13.   Fungal horizontal gene transfer: a history beyond the Phylogenetic Kingdoms.  C. Barreiro, S. Gutiérrez, and E. R. Olivera               

14.    

 Transfer of secondary metabolite gene clusters: assembly and reorganization ofthe b-lactam gene cluster from bacteria to fungi and arthropods.

Martín, J.F. and Liras, P.

15.   Horizontal gene transfer Among Neisseria species and humans S. Sánchez, T. de Miguel¹, T.G. Villa, A.R. Gorringe and I. M. Feavers

16.   Implications of Lateral or Horizontal Gene Transfer from Bacteria to the Human Gastro-Intestinal System for Cancer Development and Treatment A.G. Abril, P.G. Lanzi and V. Notario

17.   Role of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Cancer Progression A. Abril and V. Notario

Covers gene transfer between prokaryotes and their viruses, and between bacteria and eukaryotes

Provides insights into environmental adaptation and genome evolution

Discusses the relevance of horizontal gene transfer for health and disease