Prokaryotes

Intrinsically bent DNA in replication origins and gene promoters

F. Gimenes, Takeda, K. I., Fiorini, A., Gouveia, F. S., and Fernandez, M. A., Intrinsically bent DNA in replication origins and gene promoters, vol. 7. pp. 549-558, 2008.

Intrinsically bent DNA is an alternative conformation of the DNA molecule caused by the presence of dA/dT tracts, 2 to 6 bp long, in a helical turn phase DNA or with multiple intervals of 10 to 11 bp. Other than flexibility, intrinsic bending sites induce DNA curvature in particular chromosome regions such as replication origins and promoters. Intrinsically bent DNA sites are important in initiating DNA replication, and are sometimes found near to regions associated with the nuclear matrix.

Non-Darwinian and Darwinian prokaryotic and eukaryotic evolution - an enigma in cell biology conservation

H. Hoenigsberg, Non-Darwinian and Darwinian prokaryotic and eukaryotic evolution - an enigma in cell biology conservation, vol. 2, pp. 279-287, 2003.

Our theory is embarrassingly simple. What made today’s prokaryotes and modern cyanobacteria so robust is the fact that in their origin, back in the Archean (3 billion years ago), selection did not play a central role in evolution, it had only a transitory role. Asexual reproduction, mutation, drift and sampling variance in local demes were more important especially when they were accompanied by population catastrophes, where millions perished.

Update of microbial genome programs for bacteria and archaea

P. Borges San Celestino, de Carvalho, L. Rodrigues, de Freitas, L. Martins, Martins, N. Florêncio, Pacheco, L. Gustavo Ca, Miyoshi, A., Azevedo, V., and Dorella, F. Alves, Update of microbial genome programs for bacteria and archaea, vol. 3, pp. 421-431, 2004.

Since the Haemophilus influenzae genome sequence was completed in 1995, 172 other prokaryotic genomes have been completely sequenced, while 508 projects are underway. Besides pathogens, organisms important in several other fields, such as biotechnology and bioremediation, have also been sequenced. Institutions choose the organisms they wish to sequence according to the importance that these species represent to them, the availability of the microbes, and based on the similarity of a species of interest with others that have been sequenced previously.

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