<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-GB">In silico</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-GB"> analysis reveals the role of horizontally transferred genes (HGTs) in shaping the pathogenicity of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Xanthomonas</i></span>

Abstract

The role of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Xanthomonas </i>spp<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">.</i> as phytopathogen has been well recognized in diseases of important crops like rice, canola, tomato, citrus, etc. The genomes of a number of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Xanthomonas</i> strains are also fully sequenced and they are made available in various data bases. In the present study, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">in silico </i>analysis of six <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Xanthomonas</i> genomes was carried out. Synonymous codon usage pattern study in these genomes revealed that pathogenicity related (PR)-horizontally transferred genes (HGTs) were, in general, expressed lowly and were less biased in comparison with average protein coding genes and ribosomal protein genes. Moreover, the correspondence analysis showed that the ribosomal genes were clustered at one end, while the HGTs and the PR-HGTs were all scattered. It has been also revealed that how the virulent HGTs, in spite of having low expression levels, did enhance the pathogenicity of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Xanthomonas </i>strains to certain extent by targeting important cellular functions.