Multiple lateral transfers and duplications of genes as sources of diversity of α-L-rhamnosidases in Clostridium methylpentosum DSM5476

摘要

α-L-Rhamnosidases are an important group of glycoside hydrolases represented in many organisms from various prokaryotic phyla. Based on the homology of catalytic domains, all these proteins are assigned to the GH78 and GH106 families of glycoside hydrolases. However, most prokaryotic genomes contain no genes encoding proteins from these two families. We found that the unique genome of Clostridium methylpentosum DSM5476 contains 83 genes of proteins from these families and undertook investigation of their phylogeny. The absence of homologous genes in most of strains of the genus Clostridium suggests an important ecological role of these genes, in C. methylpentosum in particular. Phylogenetic analysis revealed multiple lateral transfers and duplications of the corresponding genes.