Bacterial chromosomal mobility via lateral transduction exceeds that of classical mobile genetic elements

Suzanne Humphrey, Alfred Fillol-Salom, Nuria Quiles-Puchalt, Rodrigo Ibarra-Chávez, Andreas F. Haag, John Chen and José R. Penadés ()
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Suzanne Humphrey: University of Glasgow
Alfred Fillol-Salom: University of Glasgow
Nuria Quiles-Puchalt: University of Glasgow
Rodrigo Ibarra-Chávez: University of Glasgow
Andreas F. Haag: University of Glasgow
John Chen: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
José R. Penadés: University of Glasgow

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract It is commonly assumed that the horizontal transfer of most bacterial chromosomal genes is limited, in contrast to the frequent transfer observed for typical mobile genetic elements. However, this view has been recently challenged by the discovery of lateral transduction in Staphylococcus aureus, where temperate phages can drive the transfer of large chromosomal regions at extremely high frequencies. Here, we analyse previously published as well as new datasets to compare horizontal gene transfer rates mediated by different mechanisms in S. aureus and Salmonella enterica. We find that the horizontal transfer of core chromosomal genes via lateral transduction can be more efficient than the transfer of classical mobile genetic elements via conjugation or generalized transduction. These results raise questions about our definition of mobile genetic elements, and the potential roles played by lateral transduction in bacterial evolution.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26004-5

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