Sage-Tips

What is horizontal gene transfer in genetics?

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), also known as lateral gene transfer, refers to the movement of genetic information across normal mating barriers, between more or less distantly related organisms, and thus stands in distinction to the standard vertical transmission of genes from parent to offspring.

Why is horizontal gene transfer good?

The most obvious benefit to HGT is that a cell can acquire a beneficial gene that arose in another cell. The origin of new beneficial genes is presumably extremely rare, and stealing a gene from a neighbor should be much quicker than waiting to evolve it independently.

Can humans do horizontal gene transfer?

Although the transfer of genes is thought to be crucial in prokaryotic evolution, its existence in higher organisms, including animals, is less well established [7–9]. However, in recent years, more and more instances of horizontal gene transfer have been reported in multicellular eukaryotes, even in humans [7–12].

How does horizontal gene transfer speed up evolution?

Abstract. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) spreads genetic diversity by moving genes across species boundaries. By rapidly introducing newly evolved genes into existing genomes, HGT circumvents the slow step of ab initio gene creation and accelerates genome innovation.

What is horizontal transfer in biology?

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the movement of genetic information between organisms, a process that includes the spread of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria (except for those from parent to offspring), fueling pathogen evolution.

How does horizontal gene transfer affect evolution?

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is recognized as a process of acquiring new gene in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. It becomes a major driving force leading to genomic variability that possibly contribute to its evolution via adaptation and survivability with the newly transferred gene(s).

How does horizontal gene transfer contribute to genetic diversity?

What are the three mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer?

Horizontal gene transfer may occur via three main mechanisms: transformation, transduction or conjugation. Transformation involves uptake of short fragments of naked DNA by naturally transformable bacteria.

What is the difference between vertical and horizontal gene transfer?

Vertical gene transfer refers to the process where genes are transferred from parent to their offspring. This is the key difference between vertical and horizontal gene transfer. Vertical gene transfer is common among organisms while horizontal gene transfer is less common.

How does horizontal gene transfer work?

Horizontal gene transfer is made possible in large part by the existence of mobile genetic elements, such as plasmids (extrachromosomal genetic material), transposons (“jumping genes”), and bacteria-infecting viruses (bacteriophages). These elements are transferred between organisms through different mechanisms, which in prokaryotes include transformation, conjugation, and transduction.

Is horizontal gene transfer related to evolution?

Horizontal gene transfer is an important force modulating evolution in the prokaryotic world and the evolution of particular eukaryotes. Although gene exchange is easier in closely related organisms, horizontal gene transfer occurred between both domains in the evolution of Archaea and Bacteria.