The genome sequence of Blochmannia floridanus: Comparative analysis of reduced genomes

Rosario Gil, Francisco J. Silva, Evelyn Zientz, François Delmotte, Fernando González-Candelas, Amparo Latorre, Carolina Rausell, Judith Kamerbeek, Jürgen Gadau, Bert Hölldobler, Roeland C.H.J. Van Ham, Roy Gross, Andrés Moya

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

293 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bacterial symbioses are widespread among insects, probably being one of the key factors of their evolutionary success. We present the complete genome sequence of Blochmannia floridanus, the primary endosymbiont of carpenter ants. Although these ants feed on a complex diet, this symbiosis very likely has a nutritional basis: Blochmannia is able to supply nitrogen and sulfur compounds to the host while it takes advantage of the host metabolic machinery. Remarkably, these bacteria lack all known genes involved in replication initiation (dnaA, priA, and recA). The phylogenetic analysis of a set of conserved protein-coding genes shows that BI. floridanus is phylogenetically related to Buchnera aphidicola and Wigglesworthia glossinidia, the other endosymbiotic bacteria whose complete genomes have been sequenced so far. Comparative analysis of the five known genomes from insect endosymbiotic bacteria reveals they share only 313 genes, a number that may be close to the minimum gene set necessary to sustain endosymbiotic life.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)9388-9393
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume100
Issue number16
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 5 2003
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The genome sequence of Blochmannia floridanus: Comparative analysis of reduced genomes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this