An Overview of Genomic Islands’ Main Features and Computational Prediction: The CMNR Group of Bacteria As a Case Study

Abstract

DNA sequencing, one of the biggest dilemmas of the age is solved with the nextgeneration sequencing technologies. The challenge now is to develop accurate tools to analyze the massive quantity of data that encompass invaluable information regarding all kinds of organisms. Genomic Islands (GEIs) contain genes and other elements that evidence the horizontal transfer process, having a huge impact on the evolution and adaptability of bacterial species. Several aspects are important to discriminate genomic regions that harbor GEIs from the regions inherited through vertical gene transfer. GC content, codon deviation, flanking tRNA, and transposase genes are some of the most important features. Besides that, distinct categories of GEIs are classified by the nature and function of the genes which it harbors. For bacterial pathogens, Pathogenicity and Resistance Islands are key features for the understanding of the virulence factors and the mechanism of the infection and disease development of a pathogen. Further, in the era of resistant microorganisms, knowing the behavior and the pattern of gene migration through different species and strains is of huge importance. In this book chapter, we described the leading points to predict GEIs, demonstrating the main available tools and some plasticity features regarding bacterial species from the CMNR group, which contains specific highly resistant species.