Widespread of horizontal gene transfer events in eukaryotes

Abstract

SummaryHorizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the transfer of genetic material between distantly related organisms. While most genes in prokaryotes can be horizontally transferred, HGT events in eukaryotes are considered as rare, particularly in mammals. Here we report the identification of HGT regions (HGTs) in 13 model eukaryotes by comparing their genomes with 824 eukaryotic genomes. Between 4 and 358 non-redundant HGTs per species were found in the genomes of 13 model organisms, and most of these HGTs were previously unknown. The majority of the 824 eukaryotes with full length genome sequences also contain HGTs. These HGTs have transformed their host genomes with thousands of copies and have impacted hundreds, even thousands of genes. We extended this analysis to ~128,000 prokaryote and virus genomes and revealed a few potential routes of horizontal gene transfer involving blood sucking parasites, intracellular pathogens, and bacteria. Our findings revealed that HGTs are widespread in eukaryotic genomes, and HGT is a ubiquitous driver of genome evolution for eukaryotes.