Analyzing Plasmid Genes with Blast2Network
Author Information
Author(s): Brilli Matteo, Mengoni Alessio, Fondi Marco, Bazzicalupo Marco, Liò Pietro, Fani Renato
Primary Institution: Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Florence
Hypothesis
Can a new bioinformatic tool effectively analyze and visualize the evolutionary relationships of plasmid genes?
Conclusion
The tools implemented by B2N allow for a new way to describe and visualize the evolutionary features of plasmid molecules in Enterobacteriaceae.
Supporting Evidence
- B2N was applied to study 47 completely sequenced plasmids from Escherichia, Salmonella, and Shigella.
- The software allows for automatic phylogenetic profiling and visualization of homology relationships.
- The study revealed complex evolutionary histories of plasmids with significant horizontal gene transfer.
Takeaway
The study created a software that helps scientists understand how plasmids, which are small DNA circles in bacteria, evolve and share genes.
Methodology
The study developed a software package called Blast2Network (B2N) to analyze plasmid sequences and visualize their evolutionary relationships.
Limitations
The study may not cover all plasmid sequences and relies on the availability of complete plasmid data.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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