Combination Of Genomics And Proteomics Yields A Surprising Finding: Silencing Foreign DNA In Bacteria
May 17th, 2008 | by admin |Compared to humans, bacteria have a much tidier genome. The tiny microorganisms pack their genes closely together, and don’t carry around a lot of extraneous DNA, so-called junk DNA that fills in the gaps between genes. Some 90 percent of the complete genome sequence of the bacteria E. coli contains sequences of DNA that code for protein, while 90 percent of the human genome is non-coding junk DNA.
Now it appears that the tidiness of these bacterial genomes may be attributed to an ancient protein. A new study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center reveals that this protein, called Rho, serves a regulatory function, maintaining boundaries between genes in E. coli and ensuring that the bacterium produces proteins needed for immediate cellular functions. The study also found that Rho and its co-factors silence so-called foreign DNA in the bacterium, which had been acquired by swapping genes with other bacteria. E. coli is a common denizen of the human gut. While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illness.
The study is published in the May 16, 2008 issue of the journal Science.
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