Comparative analysis of essential genes and nonessential genes in Escherichia
coli K12 |
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Authors: | Xiaodong Gong Shaohua Fan Amy Bilderbeck Mingkun Li Hongxia Pang Shiheng Tao |
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Institution: | (1) Bioinformatics Center, Northwest A&F University, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China;(2) College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China;(3) College of Science, Northwest A&F University, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China;(4) College of Life Science, Agricultural University of Hebei, 071001 Baoding, Hebei, China;(5) Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, England |
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Abstract: | Genes can be classified as essential or nonessential based on their indispensability for a living organism. Previous researches
have suggested that essential genes evolve more slowly than nonessential genes and the impact of gene dispensability on a
gene’s evolutionary rate is not as strong as expected. However, findings have not been consistent and evidence is controversial
regarding the relationship between the gene indispensability and the rate of gene evolution. Understanding how different classes
of genes evolve is essential for a full understanding of evolutionary biology, and may have medical relevance in the design
of new antibacterial agents. We therefore performed an investigation into the properties of essential and nonessential genes.
Analysis of evolutionary conservation, protein length distribution and amino acid usage between essential and nonessential
genes in Escherichia coli K12 demonstrated that essential genes are relatively preserved throughout the bacterial kingdom when compared to nonessential
genes. Furthermore, results show that essential genes, compared to nonessential genes, have a significantly higher proportion
of large (>534 amino acids) and small proteins (<139 amino acids) relative to medium-sized proteins. The pattern of amino
acids usage shows a similar trend for essential and nonessential genes, although some notable exceptions are observed. These
findings help to clarify our understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms of essential and nonessential genes, relevant to
the study of mutagenesis and possibly allowing prediction of gene properties in other poorly understood organisms. |
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Keywords: | Essential genes Nonessential genes Protein length Amino acid usage Evolutionary conservation |
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