Abstract 2249 Investigating de novo Gene Formation in Phage Genomes

Bacteriophages (phages) appear to be the most genetically diverse biological entities on our planet. Their genomes are tightly packed with genes, and they are collectively predicted to contain the largest number of novel genes with unknown functions. Further, many of these genes may not be essential to the growth of the phage under laboratory conditions. Although these diversity features of phage genomes are well known, the foundational question as to the source(s) of all this novelty remains unclear and unexplored.