FIG 8.

Illustration of the taxonomic diversity of homologous predicted l-carnitine metabolism gene clusters. Homologous gene clusters in bacterial genomes were retrieved using MicroScope. (A) Gene cluster in S. meliloti Rm2011. (B) Gene clusters that contain homologous genes for both the multistep synthesis of l-carnitine and its degradation. (C) Gene clusters that contain the gene coding for the GBB hydroxylase and the genes for l-carnitine degradation. (D) Gene clusters that only contain genes for l-carnitine degradation. Taxonomic classes and orders are indicated in brackets. Candidate genes for transporters and transcriptional regulators were frequently found to be conserved within these clusters. Genes indicated in white are not predicted to be related to l-carnitine metabolism.