New tRNA-targeting transposons that hijack phage and vesicles

Emily Dart; Nathan A Ahlgren

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2023.03.004

New tRNA-targeting transposons that hijack phage and vesicles

Trends Genet. 2023 Jun;39(6):433-435. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.03.004. Epub 2023 Apr 4.

Authors

Emily Dart¹, Nathan A Ahlgren²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.
² Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA. Electronic address: nahlgren@clarku.edu.

PMID: 37019751
DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.03.004

Abstract

Genomic islands are hotspots for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria, but, for Prochlorococcus, an abundant marine cyanobacterium, how these islands form has puzzled scientists. With the discovery of tycheposons, a new family of transposons, Hackl et al. provide evidence for elegant new mechanisms of gene rearrangement and transfer among Prochlorococcus and bacteria more broadly.

Keywords: bacteria; genomic island; horizontal gene transfer; oceanography; pangenome; transposon.

MeSH terms

Bacteriophages* / genetics
Cyanobacteria* / genetics
Gene Transfer, Horizontal / genetics
Genomic Islands
RNA, Transfer / genetics

Substances

RNA, Transfer