Evolutionary stalling and a limit on the power of natural selection to improve a cellular module

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Sandeep VenkataramBetul Kacar

Abstract

Cells consist of molecular modules which perform vital biological functions. Cellular modules are key units of adaptive evolution because organismal fitness depends on their performance. Theory shows that in rapidly evolving populations, such as those of many microbes, adaptation is driven primarily by common beneficial mutations with large effects, while other mutations behave as if they are effectively neutral. As a consequence, if a module can be improved only by rare and/or weak beneficial mutations, its adaptive evolution would stall. However, such evolutionary stalling has not been empirically demonstrated, and it is unclear to what extent stalling may limit the power of natural selection to improve modules. Here we empirically characterize how natural selection improves the translation machinery (TM), an essential cellular module. We experimentally evolved populations of Escherichia coli with genetically perturbed TMs for 1,000 generations. Populations with severe TM defects initially adapted via mutations in the TM, but TM adaptation stalled within about 300 generations. We estimate that the genetic load in our populations incurred by residual TM defects ranges from 0.5 to 19%. Finally, we found evidence that both epist...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1985·Genetics·D L HartlA M Dean
Dec 11, 1999·Nature·L H HartwellA W Murray
Jun 30, 2000·Chemistry & Biology·J Frank
Mar 23, 2002·Cell·V Ramakrishnan
Aug 31, 2002·Science·E RavaszA L Barabási
Jun 1, 2005·Current Opinion in Structural Biology·Jakob Nilsson, Poul Nissen
May 23, 2006·Molecular Cell·Rafael CouñagoYousif Shamoo
Jun 30, 2007·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Bradley S HughesAlbert F Bennett
Nov 17, 2007·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Günter P WagnerJames M Cheverud
Jun 6, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Zachary D BlountRichard E Lenski
Oct 30, 2008·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Andreas Wagner
Apr 16, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Richard A Neher, Boris I Shraiman
Jan 22, 2010·Molecular Microbiology·Peter A LindDan I Andersson
May 7, 2011·Genetics·Gregory I LangMichael M Desai
Jun 4, 2011·Science·Hsin-Hung ChouChristopher J Marx
Sep 20, 2011·Genetics·Stephan SchiffelsMichael Lässig
Dec 14, 2011·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Steffen SchaperArd A Louis
Jan 28, 2012·Science·Olivier TenaillonBrandon S Gaut
Mar 1, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Benjamin H GoodMichael M Desai
Jun 5, 2012·Genetics·Sidhartha GoyalMichael M Desai
Nov 2, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Michael Lynch
Feb 23, 2013·PLoS Biology·Matthew D Herron, Michael Doebeli
Mar 8, 2014·PLoS Genetics·João Barroso-BatistaIsabel Gordo
Nov 19, 2014·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Michael LynchShelley Sazer
Mar 13, 2015·Genetics·Daniel P RiceMichael M Desai
Nov 1, 2014·Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics·O Tenaillon
Jun 10, 2016·PLoS Computational Biology·Henok MengistuJeff Clune

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 22, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Kevin GomezJoanna Masel
Aug 14, 2020·Genome Biology and Evolution·Petar I PenevJennifer B Glass
Feb 7, 2021·Journal of Molecular Evolution·Aaron D Goldman, Betul Kacar
Mar 14, 2021·Cell Host & Microbe·Katarzyna ParysYoussef Belkhadir

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.