The microbial pan-genome

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors sequenced 112 Salinibacter ruber isolates and 12 companion metagenomes recovered from four adjacent saltern ponds in Mallorca, Spain that were experimentally manipulated to dramatically alter salinity and light intensity, the two major drivers of these ecosystems.

TL;DR: This work assembled a diverse panel of 696 Escherichia coli strains, obtained genomes and measured growth phenotypes in 214 conditions, and integrated variant effect predictors to derive gene-level probabilities of loss of function for every gene across strains, providing significant predictions for up to 38% of tested conditions.

TL;DR: Over 1.2 million previously unknown genes represented in these samples, including more than 782 new rhodopsin-like photoreceptors are identified, suggesting substantial oceanic microbial diversity.

TL;DR: The genomic sequence of six strains representing the five major disease-causing serotypes of Streptococcus agalactiae, the main cause of neonatal infection in humans, was generated and Mathematical extrapolation of the data suggests that the gene reservoir available for inclusion in the S. agalactic pan-genome is vast and that unique genes will continue to be identified even after sequencing hundreds of genomes.

TL;DR: Mobile elements within genomes have driven genome evolution in diverse ways and are becoming useful tools for learning more about genome evolution and gene function.

TL;DR: The current review presents the available genomics and biological data on prophages from bacterial pathogens in an evolutionary framework to demonstrate that the chromosomes from bacteria and their viruses (bacteriophages) are coevolving.