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. 2024 May 8;108(1):328. doi: 10.1007/s00253-023-12971-w

Table 3.

Pseudogenes in microorganisms

Microorganism Pseudogene Parental gene Parental gene function Relationship with microorganisms Reference
Pseudogenes S. Typhi ψfepE fepE Regulator of O antigen chain length Pseudogenization of fepE contributed to the evade the phagocyte respiratory burst arose by S. Typhi Crawford et al. (2013); Hiyoshi et al. (2018)
S. Paratyphi A ψrfbE rfbE CDP-tyvelose-2-epimerase, which catalyzes the conversion of O2 to O9 Pseudogenization of rfbE contributed to the evade the phagocyte respiratory burst arose by S. Paratyphi A Hiyoshi et al. (2018)
S. Typhi ψmarT marT Encode by SPI-3, a transcription regulator Pseudogenization of marT contributed to the resistance to H2O2 of S. Typhi Ortega et al. (2016)
S. Typhi ψsseJ sseJ SPI-2 T3SS effector, involved in SCV biosynthesis Pseudogenization of sseJ increases the S. Typhi cytotoxicity toward epithelial cells Trombert et al. (2010)
S. Typhi ψsopD2 sopD2 SPI-2 T3SS effector, involved in SCV biosynthesis Pseudogenization of sopD2 increases the S. Typhi cytotoxicity toward epithelial cells Trombert et al. (2011)
S. Typhimurium ST313 ψsseI sseI SPI-2 T3SS effector, which inhibits DC cell migration Benefit the systemic infection Carden et al. (2017)
S. Typhi ψsopA sopA Effector of SPI-1 Benefit the systemic infection Ma et al. (2021)

S. Gallinarum

S. Pullorum

ψflgK, ψflhB, etc flgK, flhB, etc Involved in the flagella formation Related to the formation of flagella and phenotypes associated with mobility Table 2
Y. pestis ψyadE yadE An autotransporter protein involved in biofilm formation Pseudogenization of yadE contributes to the biofilm stability in Y. pestis Calder et al. (2020)
Functional pseudogenes Trypanosoma brucei ψvsg vsg Surface glycoprotein Antigenic variation Faria et al. (2022)
Anaplasma ψmsp2 msp2 Surface antigen Antigenic variation Graca et al. (2019); Liu et al. (2019); Rejmanek et al. (2012)
Borrelia spp. ψvmp vmp Surface antigen Antigenic variation Restrepo et al. (1994)
Pneumocystis jirovecii ψmsg msg Major surface glycoprotein Antigenic variation Schmid-Siegert et al. (2017)
S. Typhi ψshdA shdA Autotransporter adhesin Product of ψshdA function as adhesin Urrutia et al. (2014)
Escherichia coli ψyqiG yqiG Has a key role in hydrogen production in E. coli The product of ψyqiG is essential for glycolysis in E. coli Zakaria et al. (2018)
Brucella melitensis BMEA_B0173 BMEA_B0173

Plays an important role in regulating the

function of Brucella melitensis

Deletion mutation of the pseudogene BMEA_B0173 in Brucella melitensis facilitates colonization in the spleen Zhang et al. (2022)
Trypanosoma brucei - - - Pseudogene-derived small interference RNAs regulate gene expression in African T. brucei Wen et al. (2011)
Others M. leprae - - - Intracellular microorganisms have a relatively high proportion of pseudogenes Cole et al. (2001); Liu et al. (2004)
Neisseria meningitidis - - - Intracellular microorganisms have a relatively high proportion of pseudogenes Liu et al. (2004)
Rickettsia - - - Intracellular microorganisms have a relatively high proportion of pseudogenes Liu et al. (2004)
Salmonella spp. - - - Some Salmonella serotypes which with a narrow host range have a relatively high proportion of pseudogenes Table 1
Y. pestis - - - The pseudogene profile can be used for Y. pestis classification Tong et al. (2005)