The present study utilized the potential of gene fusion analysis in
order to identify potential protein interactions and functional links in
seven microalgal species which belong to diverse groups, including
green algae (V. carteri, C. reinhardtii, C. variabilis, O. lucimarinus), red
algae (C. merolae) and diatoms (P. tricornutumand T. pseudonana). Identification
of putative fusion and fission events was achieved by comparison
of the seven complete, annotated proteomes against each other in
an all-against-all analysis; a total of 42 analyses were performed. Moreover,
in order to extract the maximum amount of information possible
from our analysis, in case a fusion event was not detected in the proteome
of one of the seven organisms under study, then the available proteome
of its phylogenetically closest organism and/or strain was
investigated by BLAST search. For instance, in the case of C. variabilis
NC64A, Chlorella vulgaris was examined instead, and in the case of
O. lucimarinus CCE9901, Ostreococcus tauris (Supplementary Tables 1
and 2).