Trans-Kingdom Horizontal DNA Transfer from Bacteria to Yeast Is Highly Plastic Due to Natural Polymorphisms in Auxiliary Nonessential Recipient Genes
Figure 6
A schematic diagram of the gene and plasmid flow from bacteria to eukaryotes by T4SS.
In bacteria X and Y, genes are transferred from genomic DNA to various plasmids depicted as A, B, and C by using transposons or another method (i). A conjugative plasmid A (such as IncP plasmids) can move from bacterium X to another bacterium Y or to a eukaryote A by its own T4SS system, i.e., T4SS A (ii). A mobilizable plasmid B (such as IncQ plasmids) transfers from bacterium X to Y and eukaryote A with the help of its own mob genes and T4SS A (iii). The plasmids A and B can also transfer from bacterium Y to eukaryote A by T4SS A (ii and iii). The eukaryote A has a subpopulation that accepts exogenous DNA efficiently transferred by T4SS A. The transferred bacterial genes spread and are maintained in the entire population, if they take on available roles, for its survival. In bacterium Y, a plasmid C transfers to eukaryote B by T4SS C (such as vir genes in Ti and Ri plasmids; iv). The plasmid B is also able to transfer to eukaryote B by using mob genes and T4SS C (v).