In many prokaryotic genera a clustered phylogeny is observed, akin to the occurrence of species in sexually reproducing organisms. For some taxa, homologous recombination has been invoked as the underlying mechanism providing genomic cohesion among conspecific individuals. Whether this mechanism is applicable to prokaryotes in freshwaters with low habitat connectivity – . elevated geographic barriers to gene flow – is unclear. To investigate further we studied genomic trends within the globally abundant PnecC cluster (genus Polynucleobacter, Betaproteobacteria) and analyzed homologous recombination within the affiliated species P. asymbioticus. |
