Human genome: A recount on horizontal gene transfer

When the human genome sequence was published in February, 113 apparent incidents of direct horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of bacterial genes into vertebrates were identified, with no known 'stepping stone' in the form of non-vertebrate eukaryotes. But phylogenetic analysis of 28 of these proposed HGT genes against non-vertebrate sequence databases reveals that most of these genes are present in more anciently derived eukaryotes, and can be explained in terms of descent through common ancestry rather than by a leap from bacteria to vertebrates.

Phylogenetic analyses do not support horizontal gene transfers from bacteria to vertebrates
MICHAEL J. STANHOPE, ANDREI LUPAS, MICHAEL J. ITALIA, KRISTIN K. KORETKE, CRAIG VOLKER & JAMES R. BROWN
Nature 411, 940-944 (21 June 2001)
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21 June 2001 table of contents