Trans-Kingdom gene flow is defined as the transfer of genetic information between two organisms whose phylogenetic affinities place them in different kingdoms. The recent demonstration of trans-kingdom gene flow involving bacteria and yeast increased Plumley's awareness of this process - a process which has been well documented in the agrobacterium/plant association. This project will address the hypothesis that trans-kingdom gene flow has resulted in the homogenization of genetic information within the marine environment. Plumley will use paralytic shellfish poisoning as a model system since current data indicate that evolutionarily disparate organisms, i.e., bacteria, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria, all have the unique set of genes required to produce the diverse and complicated array of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins. Plumley hypothesizes that the ability to produce paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins evolved only once and that the genes were subsequently transferred to other organisms. A research goal is to isolate the gene that codes for paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins. Long range goals of the research are to eradicate paralytic shellfish poisoning and to understand the mechanisms and extent of trans-kingdom gene transfer in the marine environment. The project represents preliminary research on an untested hypothesis and attempts to answer a long-standing marine health problem using modern approaches.
