Do bacterial cryptic genes really exist?

E Tamburini; G Mastromei

doi:10.1016/s0923-2508(00)00137-6

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PubMed · 10865944

Do bacterial cryptic genes really exist?

E Tamburini·G Mastromei

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Abstract

Cryptic genes have been defined as phenotypically silent DNA sequences, usually not expressed during the life cycle of a microorganism, but capable of expression in a few members of a large population by mutation, recombination, insertion processes, or other genetic mechanisms. Recently, the crypticity of several genetic systems has been questioned. It appears that in many cases cryptic genes are silent only under the experimental conditions analysed and that their expression can be induced in the natural environment. Therefore, we propose that cryptic genes might not be a peculiar class of uniquely regulated genes, but rather genes encoding unusual functions.

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Acetolactate Synthase Cellobiose Escherichia coli Evolution, Molecular Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Gene Silencing Genes, Bacterial Operon Salmonella typhimurium Journal Article

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E Tamburini, G Mastromei. 2000. Do bacterial cryptic genes really exist?. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0923-2508(00)00137-6

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