Repository logo
 

Transporter gene acquisition and innovation in the evolution of Microsporidia intracellular parasites.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Dean, P 
Sendra, KM 
Watson, AK 
Major, P 

Abstract

The acquisition of genes by horizontal transfer can impart entirely new biological functions and provide an important route to major evolutionary innovation. Here we have used ancient gene reconstruction and functional assays to investigate the impact of a single horizontally transferred nucleotide transporter into the common ancestor of the Microsporidia, a major radiation of intracellular parasites of animals and humans. We show that this transporter provided early microsporidians with the ability to steal host ATP and to become energy parasites. Gene duplication enabled the diversification of nucleotide transporter function to transport new substrates, including GTP and NAD+, and to evolve the proton-energized net import of nucleotides for nucleic acid biosynthesis, growth and replication. These innovations have allowed the loss of pathways for mitochondrial and cytosolic energy generation and nucleotide biosynthesis that are otherwise essential for free-living eukaryotes, resulting in the highly unusual and reduced cells and genomes of contemporary Microsporidia.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Cell Line, Evolution, Molecular, Gene Duplication, Gene Transfer, Horizontal, Genome, Fungal, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Metabolic Networks and Pathways, Microsporidia, Nucleotide Transport Proteins, Nucleotides, Phylogeny, Rabbits

Journal Title

Nat Commun

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

9

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MC_U105663139)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/R50564X/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00015/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00015/7)