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NAL Agricultural Thesaurus
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Concept Breadcrumbs

Research, Technology, Methods > genetic resources > genome > genomic islands
Natural Resources, Conservation, Environment > natural resources > biological resources > genetic resources > genome > genomic islands
Fields of Study > genetics > genetic structure > genome > genomic islands
Preferred Term:

genomic islands

Definition:
Distinct units in some bacterial, bacteriophage or plasmid genomes that are types of mobile genetic elements. Encoded in them are a variety of fitness conferring genes, such as virulence factors (in "pathogenicity islands or islets"), antibiotic resistance genes, or genes required for symbiosis (in "symbiosis islands or islets"). They range in size from 10 - 500 kilobases, and their GC content and codon usage differ from the rest of the genome. They typically contain an integrase gene, although in some cases this gene has been deleted resulting in "anchored genomic islands".
Concept Schemes:
NALT Full
Broader Concept:
genome
Narrower Concepts:
Related Concepts:
Entry Terms:
  • symbiosis islands
  • genomic islets
URI:
https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt/190926
Download this Concept:
RDF/XMLCreated 2012-09-06, last modified 2018-01-19