[Taxacom] Surprise from a whole-genome study

[Jason Mate]

I am guessing that it might be straight-forward enough if:

The gene is completely novel (i.e. it is not a duplication) for the taxon under study and its sequence/structure is similar to a completely different group of organisms, OR 

The gene in your taxon is so highly modified in comparison to its closest sister taxa (but highly similar to other very distant taxa) that the only likely explanation is some sort of gene transfer.

Of course either scenario can only be explained if there was a degree of invasive contact between the organisms: viruses, bacteria or fungi transfering their genetic material into other organisms. An aphid´s gene in an elephant´s genome suggests dirty pippeters or funny lab technicians.

Best

Jason

> Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:11:32 -0400
> From: jgrehan at sciencebuff.org
> To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Surprise from a whole-genome study
> 
> I guess it's the specifics of these that need to be explained to me.
> Maybe there is a paper out there that presents the evidence for how such
> sequences are recognized as viral derivatives rather than convergences.
> I would be interested. John
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Sergio Vargas
> Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 3:04 PM
> To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Surprise from a whole-genome study
> 
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> >I admit to being very ignorant of the research basis for recognizing
> lateral gene transfer. Out of curiosity, what is the evidence that a
> genetic sequences is derived from another organism rather than
> representing a convergent development?
> 
> gene structure I think, syntheny, different evolutionary rates (not sure
> about this one), different codon-usage or nucleotide frequencies, etc.
> 
> sergio
> 
> 
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