Experimental evolution of evolvability

Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 387(6736)

Published: Feb. 20, 2025

Evolvability-the capacity to generate adaptive variation-is a trait that can itself evolve through natural selection. However, the idea mutation become biased toward outcomes remains controversial. In this work, we report evolution of enhanced evolvability localized hypermutation in experimental populations bacteria. The evolved mechanism is analogous mutation-prone sequences contingency loci observed pathogenic Central outcome was lineage-level selection process, where success depended on between two phenotypic states. Subsequent showed hypermutable locus evolvable with respect alterations frequency environmental change. Lineages hypermutability were more likely acquire additional mutations, revealing an unanticipated benefit.

Language: Английский

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Factors that influence the caste ratio in a bacterial division of labour

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1922)

Published: March 20, 2025

Colonies of the bacterim Streptomyces coelicolor divide labour between cells that specialize in growth and sporulation antibiotic production. This division arises owing to costly chromosome deletions overproducers. However, spatial distribution temporal emergence these mutations S. colonies remain unknown, or whether mutation frequency—which we liken caste ratio social insects—is phenotypically plastic. To elucidate changes proportions specialized (measured as frequency), sampled grown under different conditions. Temporally, frequency increased linearly with colony age size. Spatially, accumulated disproportionately centre, despite greater at periphery. Exposing sub-inhibitory concentrations some antibiotics, a competitive cue , frequencies. Finally, direct competition other naturally produce antibiotics frequencies, while also increasing spore Our findings provide insights into intrinsic environmental factors driving by showing frequencies are dynamic responsive environment. These results show plastic suggest can flexibly adjust their ratio. article is part theme issue ‘Division key driver evolution’.

Language: Английский

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Experimental evolution of evolvability

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 3, 2024

Abstract Capacity to generate adaptive variation can evolve by natural selection. However, the idea that mutation becomes biased toward specific outcomes is controversial. Here, using experimental bacterial populations, we report evolution of enhanced evolvability via localised hyper-mutation. Key realisation was a lineage-level birth-death dynamic, where lineage success depended upon capacity mutate between two phenotypic states, each optima in cycling environment. The evolved mechanism analogous “contingency loci” pathogenic bacteria, whose origin previously unclear. Subsequent showed lineages with hyper-mutability were more likely acquire additional mutations. Our results provide detailed mechanistic account evolvability.

Language: Английский

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Evolution of genome fragility enables microbial division of labor

Molecular Systems Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 19(3)

Published: Feb. 2, 2023

Abstract Division of labor can evolve when social groups benefit from the functional specialization its members. Recently, a novel means coordinating division was found in antibiotic‐producing bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor , where specialized cells are generated through large‐scale genomic re‐organization. We investigate how evolution genome architecture enables such mutation‐driven labor, using multiscale computational model bacterial evolution. In this model, behavior—antibiotic production or replication—is determined by structure and composition their genome, which encodes antibiotics, growth‐promoting genes, fragile loci that induce chromosomal deletions. find organization evolves, partitions genes antibiotic‐coding into distinct parts separated loci. Mutations caused these sites mostly delete generating sterile, mutants weakly‐producing progenitors, agreement with experimental observations. This enhances competition between colonies promoting antibiotic diversity. These results show co‐evolve instabilities to enable reproductive labor.

Language: Английский

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Light-Based Anti-Biofilm and Antibacterial Strategies

Pharmaceutics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(8), P. 2106 - 2106

Published: Aug. 9, 2023

Biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance pose significant challenges not only in clinical settings (i.e., implant-associated infections, endocarditis, urinary tract infections) but also industrial the environment, where spreading of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is on rise. Indeed, developing effective strategies to prevent biofilm treat infections will be one major global next few years. As traditional pharmacological treatments are becoming inadequate curb this problem, a constant commitment exploration novel therapeutic necessary. Light-triggered therapies have emerged as promising alternatives approaches due their non-invasive nature, precise spatial temporal control, potential multifunctional properties. Here, we provide comprehensive overview different stages molecular mechanism disruption, with focus quorum sensing machinery. Moreover, highlight principal guidelines for development light-responsive materials photosensitive compounds. The synergistic effects combining light-triggered conventional discussed. Through elegant material design solutions, remarkable results been achieved fight against antibacterial resistance. However, further research field essential optimize translate them into applications, ultimately addressing posed by

Language: Английский

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Intragenic DNA inversions expand bacterial coding capacity

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 11, 2023

Bacterial populations that originate from a single bacterium are not strictly clonal. Often, they contain subgroups with distinct phenotypes. Bacteria can generate heterogeneity through phase variation: preprogrammed, reversible mechanism alters gene expression levels across population. One well studied type of variation involves enzyme-mediated inversion specific intergenic regions genomic DNA. Frequently, these DNA inversions flip the orientation promoters, turning ON or OFF adjacent coding within otherwise isogenic populations. Through this mechanism, affect fitness, survival, group dynamics. Here, we develop and apply bioinformatic approaches to discover thousands previously undescribed phase-variable in prokaryotes using long-read datasets. We identify 'intragenic invertons', surprising new class invertible elements found entirely genes, bacteria archaea. To date, genes have been described. Intragenic invertons allow encode two more versions protein by flipping sequence region, thereby increasing capacity without genome size. experimentally characterize intragenic gut commensal

Language: Английский

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Modelling the evolution of novelty: a review

Essays in Biochemistry, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 66(6), P. 727 - 735

Published: Dec. 1, 2022

Evolution has been an inventive process since its inception, about 4 billion years ago. It generated astounding diversity of novel mechanisms and structures for adaptation to the environment, competition cooperation, organisation internal external dynamics organism. How does this novelty come about? builds with tools available, on top what it already built - therefore, much consists in repurposing old functions a different context. In process, themselves evolve, allowing yet more arise. Despite evolutionary being most striking observable evolution, is not accounted classical theory. Nevertheless, mathematical computational models that illustrate innovation have developed. present review, we compare several examples evo-devo capture two aspects novelty: 'between-level novelty' 'constructive novelty.' Novelty can evolve between predefined levels dynamically transcode biological information across these as occurs during development. Constructive instead generates level by exploiting lower informational scaffold open new space possibilities example evolution multicellularity. We propose field well-poised reveal many exciting novelty. A broader theory may well be attainable near future.

Language: Английский

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Factors that influence the caste ratio in a bacterial division of labour

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2024

ABSTRACT Colonies of the bacteria Streptomyces coelicolor divide labour between cells that specialize on growth and sporulation antibiotic production. This division arises due to costly chromosome deletions in overproducers. However, little is known about when where these mutations occur or whether their frequency – which we liken caste ratio social insects phenotypically plastic. To elucidate changes proportions specialized (measured as mutation frequency), sampled S. colonies grown under different conditions. Temporally, increased linearly with colony age size. Spatially, accumulated disproportionately center, despite greater at periphery. Exposing sub-inhibitory concentrations some antibiotics, a competitive cue , frequencies. Finally, direct competition other naturally produce antibiotics frequencies, while also increasing spore Our findings provide insights into intrinsic environmental factors driving labor by showing frequencies are dynamic responsive environment. These results show plastic suggest can flexibly adjust ratio.

Language: Английский

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Evolution of selfish multicellularity: collective organisation of individual spatio-temporal regulatory strategies

BMC Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 23(1)

Published: July 19, 2023

Abstract Background The unicellular ancestors of modern-day multicellular organisms were remarkably complex. They had an extensive set regulatory and signalling genes, intricate life cycle could change their behaviour in response to environmental changes. At the transition multicellularity, some these behaviours co-opted organise development nascent organism. Here, we focus on multicellularity before evolution stable cell differentiation, reveal how emergence clusters affects behaviour. Results We construct a computational model population cells that can evolve regulation behavioural state - either division or migration study both context. Cells compete for reproduction resources survive seasonally changing environment. find strongly determines co-evolution behaviour, by altering competition dynamics between cells. When adhesion cannot evolve, survival rapidly migrating towards dividing. evolves, emergent collective alleviates pressure individual reach resources. This allows maximise own replication. Migrating adhesive display striking patterns spatio-temporal changes visually resemble animal development. Conclusions Our demonstrates selection pressures at onset drive cellular give rise developmental patterns.

Language: Английский

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Introduction to microbial genomics

Elsevier eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 29

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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