Objective Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is the process by which prokaryotes acquire DNA across wide taxonomic boundaries and incorporate it into their genome. Accumulating evidence shows that LGT plays a major role in prokaryote evolution. The biological and evolutionary significance of lateral gene transfer has broad implications for our understanding of microbial biology, not only in terms of evolution, but also in terms of human health.Mechanisms of lateral gene transfer include: transformation, transduction, conjugation, and gene transfer agents. Each of these transfer mechanisms leaves distinct and recognizable molecular footprints in genome sequences. The molecular details of these footprints betray the workings of the corresponding mechanisms in nature, but their relative contributions to the evolution of sequenced genomes have so far not been investigated. By identifying these footprints one can specify and quantify the relative contribution of the different LGT mechanisms during prokaryote genome evolution and thereby uncover more of the biology underlying prokaryote evolution in nature. The goal of this proposal is to quantify those contributions and to bring forth a general computer-based model of prokaryote genome evolution that approximates the underlying evolutionary process far more realistically than phylogenetic trees alone possibly can.Here I propose to apply directed networks to the study of prokaryotic genome evolution in an evolutionary model that allows both for vertical inheritance and for lateral gene transfer events. With methods to identify gene donors, all recent LGTs can be described in a single directed network. This is a fundamentally new, biologically more realistic and evolutionarily more accurate, general computational model of prokaryote genome evolution. Such a model will substantially enrich our ability to understand the process of prokaryote evolution as it is recorded in genomic and metagenomic data. Fields of science medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringgene therapynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAnatural sciencesbiological sciencesevolutionary biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomesprokaryotic genomes Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-LS8 - ERC Starting Grant - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology Call for proposal ERC-2011-StG_20101109 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Coordinator CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL Address Olshausenstrasse 40 24118 Kiel Germany See on map Region Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Tal Dagan (Prof.) Administrative Contact Linda Piálek (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution No data Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL Germany EU contribution € 1 415 507,20 Address Olshausenstrasse 40 24118 Kiel See on map Region Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein Kiel, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Tal Dagan (Prof.) Administrative Contact Linda Piálek (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data HEINRICH-HEINE-UNIVERSITAET DUESSELDORF Participation ended Germany EU contribution € 84 492,80 Address Universitaetsstrasse 1 40225 Dusseldorf See on map Region Nordrhein-Westfalen Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Martina Kuhlmann (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Other funding No data
