Abstract
Bacterial genomes contain clusters of genes that are acquired by horizontal transfer, called genomic islands (GIs). GIs are frequently associated with microbial adaptations that are of medical and environmental interest, and they have had a substantial impact on bacterial evolution. Therefore, there is growing interest in efficiently identifying GIs in newly sequenced bacterial genomes. Several computational methods for detecting GIs have been developed recently, presenting researchers with a myriad of choices. Here, we discuss the limitations and benefits of the main approaches that are available and present guidelines to aid researchers in effectively identifying these important genomic regions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 373-382 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Nature Reviews Microbiology |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2010 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We gratefully acknowledge the Simon Fraser University and University of British Columbia’s Bioinformatics Training Program, which is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), for providing initial funding. F.S.L.B. is the recipient of a MSFHR Senior Scholar award and a CIHR New Investigator award. Support for analyses was also provided by Genome Canada and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Microbiology
- General Immunology and Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
